Suicide Circus
by CrimsonNight41
Summary: Welcome to the Cirque du Freaks. AKA: The Suicide Circus. Everyone who goes ends up committing suicide. Except for one man. None of the performers know who he is, only that he comes every week. Why, no one knows. But one performer is determined to find out who he is and what his motives are. Rated M for violence and gore.
1. Chapter 1 -Welcome to the Suicide Circus

A/N: Well, this is my fourth Fairy Tail fanfic. Though I wouldn't exactly call the others 'light' stories, this one is definitely darker than the others. The inspiration for this story was The Suicide Circus by the GazettE (in case you're not familiar with them, they're a Visual Kei band, and they freaking ROCK, so go check them out. Especially that song mentioned above. It will really set the mood). So if you don't like violence and dark themes, this is probably not the story for you.

Anyways, this story is almost exclusively a Jerza fanfic, though I might throw in some slight Gralu later. Way later. But just so we're clear, this is your only warning, folks:** I don't want to hear any bitching about "Where's Jellal?" or "What about [whoever blah blah blah]?" **I will take their relationship at my own pace. That is final. Now, friendly questions about pacing or appearances are welcome, but I WILL get pissed if anyone asks any of the above bolded questions or anything with a similar complaining tone. Be warned.

Now that the mean part is out of the way, I'll go ahead and tell you all that constructive criticism is still welcome! Especially since I'm actually thinking about making this fanfic into an original story as well, though it will most likely end up being quite different. Just let me know if you have any suggestions, and I'll see what I can do. :)

Phew. If I haven't scared you away by now, kudos to you. Now if you would just be so kind as to drop a review, that would be most appreciated. :)

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**Chapter One – Welcome to the Suicide Circus**  
"Here is a Hell on Earth." ~the GazettE, The Suicide Circus

"Next up, we have the Queen of Death!" the announcer bellowed through his megaphone. "She may look pretty as a rose, but beware of this flower; she's all thorns! Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you…Titania!"

The crowd went wild as the man in his bright red suit and giant hat backed off the stage, one arm held out to herald my entrance. They had all seen my picture on the life-size posters hanging in the entrance to the circus, and again at the entrance to the main tent in its center. All they saw was the beautiful woman with the voluptuous body and long red hair, posed seductively in nothing more than black leather underwear that was connected to a bra covered in black sequins and feathers by two thin strips of fabric running down the sides of my stomach. They only saw the sultry curve of my lush red lips, the invitation in my eyes as I held out a hand and beckoned with a perfectly-manicured finger.

It was all they ever saw.

_The fools. Their greed will be their death. As far as I'm concerned, anyone who is fool enough to set foot in this place deserves what they get._

Fixing my bright, seductive smile in place, I prepared to make my entrance. The black curtains that had been hung around me to conceal my presence fell away as I stood on cue. The crowd went wild when I appeared on the tiny platform at the top of the massive circus tent, my scarlet red hair glowing like a bloody flame on top of my head. It was done up in an elaborate circus-'do, complete with feathers stuck in the main bun. My face was so heavily painted with makeup that no one would ever recognize me without it.

Of course, I wasn't me right now. I was Titania, the Queen of Death. Erza Scarlet was locked securely away for the night, and would not reemerge until the morning.

Not until the revelers had all vanished from the world of the living.

My scarlet plumage fanned out behind me as I stepped off the platform, out into thin air. The audience gasped, some people shooting to their feet. They needn't have worried; I wasn't the one who would be dead before the morning sun crested the horizon. Everyone watched with bated breath as I plummeted through the air, my body arching into a perfect dive. Exhilaration rushed through me as I watched the ground draw closer. The stage was just a rickety old wooden platform, and yet it somehow managed to bear the brunt of all the crazy stunts we put it through night after night. The Ringmaster had disemboweled the last performer who had dared to tell him to replace it, right in front of all of us. Needless to say, no one would ever make that mistake again.

Now, as I neared it, a smirk twisted my lips. No matter how many times I performed this stunt, I never tired of the audience's reactions, which were just as fresh and amazed every time, since the audience was never the same. _1, 2, NOW!_ With a snap of sinewy wings, I pulled up out of the dive just in time to flip my feet beneath me and brush the tips of my black leather boots across the floor. The audience gasped when the black wings stretched out behind me, sharp claws protruding from their ends. I threw my arms out with a broad grin, as if to embrace the entire audience. Dipping into a bow, I flexed the wings that had literally materialized out of thin air. And yet, they were as much a part of me as my hands and feet.

They were formed by my magic.

Every one of the performers in our circus, the Cirque du Freaks, has a specialty in magic. Mine just happens to be the ability to call any weapon or piece of armor into existence. Others have the ability to wield fire or ice, or even create illusions with their mind. But the one thing in common that we have with our magic is that they all serve a common purpose; that is, they help us sow the seeds of death.

Magic is rare these days. The Ringmaster only employs those of us with strong magical ability, and among those, only those with potential for destruction. See, the thing that makes our circus special is the fact that we are led by a man who feeds on death. His magic _is_ death. And from the time a person sets foot on the circus grounds, they have been marked for death. His magic guarantees that. Our magic supports his. Every time we perform, we let our magic seep out and infect the audience. The dark magic seeps into their blood, their mind, their soul. And by the time the sun rises on the next day, they have all effectively killed themselves.

No one, except we performers, can set foot in the circus and live to tell the tale. That is why we call it the 'Suicide Circus'.

Just as suddenly as they appeared, my wings vanished. The crowd thinks it's a clever trick with rigged canvas attached to me, and when they see nothing on my back but my smooth skin and the back of my sequined bra and underwear, they always start to wonder. But it never crosses their minds that it could be anything supernatural. And so I tilted my head up and laughed, though the audience could only see a pretty girl enjoying herself, so they laughed along and applauded. They had no idea that they were the object of my dark humor.

Now that I had made my entrance, it was time to get to the main event. I sauntered over to the side of the stage, where a contraption was sitting behind a black stage curtain. As I made a show of extending my arm dramatically towards it, my two assistants pushed it out into the open. Cheers went up from the eager audience as they saw what the act was—the Veiled Double Wheel of Death.

Lucy, my first assistant, was dressed in a skimpy pink leotard, her sumptuous assets practically hanging out of her sequined top. She beamed out at the audience, which roared its approval, and waved her hands at them. Once the wheel was in place, the gorgeous blonde sashayed over to one side of it while the other assistant, Cana, remained on the other side. The brunette was dressed in an identical outfit to Lucy's, though hers was all red. She was every bit as voluptuous as Lucy and me, much to the crowd's delight. The two women joined me at the front of the stage while I made a show of producing a 12-inch blade from the air.

Turning to Lucy with a secret smile meant just for her, I stroked the knife's tip seductively down her cheek and throat. The male population in the audience hooted as she leaned her head back, baring her throat to my blade. Her full pink lips parted in feigned pleasure as her eyelids drifted shut. Once the tip of the knife reached the cleavage of her breasts, I leaned in close and pressed my lips to her jaw. It was a good thing we were so close, or that part of the job would've been real awkward. As it was, the crowd went wild with cheers. _Pervy bastards, this group,_ I thought with a mix of mild amusement and disdain. Pulling back, my two assistants sauntered over to the wheel. I bowed dramatically to the audience, my bright, confident stage smile firmly in place. Then I went over to help the girls into the contraption.

I removed the canvas cover to help them up into the interior of the wheel. Lucy was the first in, and I made sure to strap her securely in place before spinning it 180 degrees to help Cana in. Once both women were strapped firmly in place, I grabbed the canvas cover and flourished it before reattaching it to the wheel. Not even the tips of their heads could be seen. From the sidelines, our telekinetic started the wheel to spinning.

Backing away until I was almost at the very edge of the stage, I turned to face the audience again. "Ladies and Gentlemen! I give you…The Veiled Double Wheel of Death!" The crowd whistled and clapped as I faced the rapidly spinning wheel. As I lifted my hand into the air in preparation to throw the dagger, a hush descended over the audience. Everyone wanted to catch every second of this deadly spectacle. After all, I had turned my back on the wheel, so I had no idea where the two women were inside the wheel.

"Here I go," I muttered smugly as I let the dagger fly. The _thunk_ of the dagger striking the wood at the back of the wheel resounded through the silent tent, and the crowd let out a collective breath.

But I wasn't done. Immediately, another knife appeared in my hand, and I released that one, too. It followed fast on the tail of the first, embedding itself in the wheel exactly 180 degrees from the first knife. The crowd cheered as a third and fourth knife joined the first two, slowly closing the gap between the knives and the women who were hidden beneath the canvas. I always enjoyed the knowledge that no matter how talented they were, no one else on earth could match my skill with a knife, and certainly no one else could pull off this stunt blind. And blind I was; contrary to the crowd's belief, I really had no way of knowing where beneath the canvas my assistants were. I relied purely on instinct. Thankfully, mine were among the best in the magic world, so I never missed my target.

Now that the first four knives were in place, it was time to get risky. Two knives materialized in my hand now. I fitted their blades between the fingers of my right hand. Murmurs rose from the crowd; was I really going to attempt to throw two knives into the wheel with only one hand?

Better—I _was_ going to.

My darker hunger rose up within me. It always flared when I had a weapon in my hand, like it knew that I was a flick of a wrist away from ending someone's life. _So much power…the possibilities are endless._ I certainly wasn't about to kill Lucy and Cana, though. And yet, there was such joy to be found in just the mere act of throwing the weapons and proving my skill.

Like right now. I released the knives simultaneously, and they flew true to embed themselves alongside the other knives, an even two inches apart. Before the audience even had a chance to react, two more knives had joined the two on the other side.

I turned to the audience again and bowed. They began cheering, assuming that I was finished. Far from it. A dark grin spread across my face as I made three knives appear in each hand. Then I closed my eyes. Shutting out the gasps of fear and anticipation from the audience, I focused on the feel of my magic. It was like a magnet, pulling on me. I let it guide me as I whipped around with lightning speed and hurled the six knives into the air at the same time. My eyes remained closed until I heard the solid _thunks_ and the disbelieving exclamations of the crowd. _Bingo_.

My eyes slid lazily open as I bowed to the crowd once more. Already, just from the small amount of magic I had used, I could see the black aura of death surrounding the people in the audience. _The Master will be pleased with this turnout_, I thought darkly.

As I strode towards the Wheel of Death, its momentum came to a halt. Feeling a little frisky today, I decided to have one last moment of fun with this particular act. I drew a sword from the air and spun it experimentally around a few times in my hand. Satisfied with the sharp whistling sounds it made as it passed through the air, I nodded and took a step back from the wheel. The spectators were all curious as to what I would do next. _They call me the Queen of Death, do they not? Well, I'll give them something to really think about now._

Taking a deep breath, I hefted the sword and rammed it straight into the center of the canvas, right over where Lucy's heart would be. Actual screams rose from the crowd, as people could see no way for this to be just a clever stunt. I could already hear their little minds whirring as they tried to make sense of what I had just done. With a smirk, I slashed the blade to the side, lifted it and then slashed across the other line to make an X. There was no way I could have missed both of them with that.

As the throng of spectators shifted uneasily, I removed the canvas slowly. As I lifted it, the audience craned their necks to get a glimpse of the gore. Fortunately for them—or perhaps unfortunately?—there was none. Lucy and Cana weren't even scratched. I unfastened their bonds and helped them out. The one healer here had put a spell on them before the act to prevent dizziness and nausea, so they were able to stand steadily and smile brightly at the madly applauding people. I smiled slyly and held my arms out for recognition. Their cheering rose, and they still had no idea how I had done it. They would never know that my magic had allowed me to make the blade disappear up to the hilt as soon as it was plunged through the canvas.

My next few acts were short, and involved me 'swallowing a sword' and juggling flaming weaponry. Just boring stuff like that. By the time my final act had come to an end, the tent was full to bursting with people wanting to watch the Queen of Death. Taking a final bow, I grabbed the megaphone from the announcer and shouted to the crowd, "That's it for my scheduled performance tonight, folks! But if you want to see some more of my skills, I'll be in the Funhouse all night." I winked and swayed my hips seductively back and forth. I took my leave from the stage to the sounds of cat calls and thunderous applause. Just before I completely faded from view though, I sent a wave of pure dark magic at them. The first few rows of people already had glassy eyes as the magic took hold of their minds, driving all thoughts away but the need to slink into the darkness and end it all. After a few more hours, everyone in this circus would wear the same look. They would go through the attractions on auto-pilot, and then shuffle to their cars to drive home, where they would tragically perish with no known reason for the suicides. Any attempts at investigation by the law would be futile; they would fall prey to our magic, as well.

Satisfied that my work had been done here, I turned and descended the steps at the back of the stage, behind the thick black curtains. I could hear the hum of the bright lights overhead as I made my way to the back tent flap. Already, I could feel the darkness closing around me. Night was our domain; in the absence of light, only darkness can reign. The shadows provided the perfect cover. I inhaled the crisp night air, laced with sweat, fair food and fire as I pushed open the tent flap. The thick, red-and-white striped fabric swirled around me like a cloak as I stepped out into the waiting darkness.

_Welcome to the Suicide Circus._

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**Well, I hope you all liked this chapter! This was more of a chapter for setting up the setting of the story. The next chapter will continue to paint the picture, but I hope it will be a little more interesting. **

**Let me know what you think in a review or PM! And of course, please favorite and follow! :D I am grateful to anyone who takes the time to read this. **

**Also, I hope to update this one pretty regularly. I'm shooting for a new chapter every two or three days, but we'll see. It may be summer, but my schedule is crazy busy! -.- And I have several camps coming up, back-to-back, so I won't be able to update during that time, but I will let you know ahead of time. Gahhh, I'm already suffering at the thought of being deprived of fanfiction for weeks on end... T_T**


	2. Chapter 2 - The One Who Never Dies

A/N: Hello, all you awesome people out there who are reading my story! :D I would like to thank **Shonnyterra, severedserenity, Arcobaleno-lover, ScarletAnastasia **and** ScarletXxXKhrymi **for the lovely reviews on the first chapter! You guys make my day. :3 Also, thank you to **xxFall3n-Ang3lxx,** **RedHanaIchigo** and** inoyamakiori** for following or favoriting!You guys are all awesome! And now, I give you...Chapter Two!

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**Chapter Two – The One Who Never Dies**  
"Why is it repeated? Suicide Circus…" ~the GazettE, The Suicide Circus

The laughter and shouts of children floated on the air as I walked silently through the crowded circus. My black, high-heeled boots made no noise against the hard-packed earth of the streets. Years of people treading on those paths had long since destroyed the grasses that had originally struggled to sprout up from the dirt. I passed clusters of giggling circus-goers, their hands full of cotton candy and their faces painted to resemble tigers, dragons or the like. Lining the paths were vendors hawking their wares to starry-eyed revelers, who were eagerly soaking up the circus atmosphere. Little did they know that even the food sold here was laced with dark magic to eat away at their minds.

As I walked, men gave me hungry looks. Some even changed their course to follow me, hoping for a moment in which to catch me alone so they could have their way with me. The only thing that enabled me to stay so calm was the knowledge that those pigs would meet their end within a few hours. Still, as I headed towards my next destination for the night, I decided to enjoy myself a little by teaching them a lesson. Two deadly longswords appeared in my hands, and I began spinning them idly through the air. People gasped and leapt back as the long metal blades whistled past them, their passage creating a high-pitched whine in the air. When I began a dance-like routine with the swords, people began to gather around and hesitantly clap at the impromptu performance. Once they believed this was nothing more than a performance, they relaxed and began to cheer. One man in particular caught my attention, though, and not in the good way. He appeared to be in his mid-thirties, with a coating of stubble on his jaw and greasy, slicked-back blond hair. And he was whistling suggestively at me and cat-calling, his bloodshot blue eyes running up and down the length of my scantily-clad body. _Ugh. This is why I hate these ridiculous outfits._ At least my next move would bring me a measure of satisfaction.

I began to spin, the blades slicing through the air around me on two different levels. The crowd clapped as I whipped them around my body and tossed them into the air. Swiftly, I bent over backwards and placed my hands flat on the ground so that my body was arched over backwards in a bridge. As soon as I sensed the swords falling back towards my body, I whipped my foot into the air and felt the toe of my boot connect with the flat of the first blade. Immediately, I reset my foot to launch the second sword after the first. A satisfying gasp went up from the crowd as the blades soared through the air, point-first. Gracefully flipping my legs over my hands to land on my feet, I straightened in one fluid motion and turned to admire my handiwork. Both of the swords were embedded firmly in the ground on either side of the blond man. They were so close to him that they had sliced through the sides of his pants, leaving his pale, hairy legs exposed from the hip down. His eyes were so wide I wondered happily if they were going to fall out of his skull, and he was shaking so badly with fear that his knees were knocking together. And the most satisfying part—the evidence of his terror was currently trickling down his legs, leaving a dark stain on the front of his pants.

_Oh god, I love this job sometimes…._

The rest of the crowd pointed and laughed at the man's misfortune, now that they were convinced he wasn't hurt. Well, except for his pride, though they weren't too concerned with that. Even more delighted than before after this daring stunt, the crowd broke into thunderous applause and cries of admiration. Especially when the two swords disappeared with a shower of gold sparkles.

"Ooh, she's a magician!" one little boy exclaimed to his wildly clapping father.

I swept them a dramatic bow, a devilish grin twisting my lips. The blond man who had just been publically humiliated wobbled a few times and then fell flat on his ass in the dirt. More laughing ensued, but he was too much in shock to comprehend anything just yet. To my immense satisfaction, the other men who had been looking at me with lecherous eyes backed off and didn't try to follow me as I stepped over the fallen man and continued on my way. I was now in such a good mood that my gait had turned into a downright saunter, my hips swinging seductively as I gave my feathers a toss. Now that I had warmed up a bit, I was ready to get down to business.

After a few more minutes of walking, I hooked a left off the packed earth path and carved a path through the knee-high grasses that grew between the tents and vending stalls. The bone-dry blades rasped like skeletal fingers against my boots as I passed, but I was unfazed; I dealt with much worse things on a nightly basis. My destination loomed ahead of me like a glowing beacon in the night. It was a large brick building with a gaping maw of a doorway, designed to look like the fanged mouth of a monster. Eerie green lanterns hung on the outside, casting a sickly shroud over the whole building. Vines of poison ivy crawled up the sides of the brick walls, adding to the lack of appeal. And yet, it was always the most popular destination for the night revelers looking for a thrill. The interior was designed like a maze, with winding corridors and the occasional hallway that actually twisted horizontally so that people had to crawl along the wall. Hallways were either lit with bloody red lights or black lights, adding to the creepy feel. The Funhouse was always my favorite station, because I could do whatever I wanted within its walls. There were doors situated every hundred meters from each other, and you never knew what lurked on the other side. Sometimes, if someone was feeling brave, they would open the door and step inside. Then the door would slam shut behind them, leaving them in total darkness. The fear would start to set in then, as they realized that anything could happen. Sometimes, there was nothing beyond the door but a long drop into the darkness beyond. Those bodies were always unpleasant to dispose of. Other times, a single red light would flicker on, and the relieved individual would stumble towards it, assuming it was an exit. When, after several long minutes of struggling towards it, they realized that they were never getting any closer, they began to panic again. Especially when unseen things began to brush against them in the near-total darkness. Whether it was just an illusion or one of us performers, the reaction was always the same: terror so acute it caused their hearts to literally stop working.

I drew in a deep breath before stepping up to the hidden back door. Its outline was concealed beneath the poisonous vines so that nobody could see it unless they already knew about its existence. Only we performers and the Ringmaster knew about it, and we used it to enter the building without being seen so that we could participate in the 'festivities.' However, before I could bring my hand up to push on the brick that would cause it to unlatch from the rest of the wall, I felt a prickling sensation on the back of my neck that caused me to pause.

Wariness crept over me as I lowered my hand back down to my side and casually turned to glance behind me. If someone had followed me, I would have to eliminate them without delay. As my gaze roved sharply over the dark expanse of grass around me, I could find no trace of another living thing. The only people I saw were the ones wandering along the well-lit paths, and none of them had noticed me. Besides, they were too far away to be able to make me out in the darkness, and there were several tents and booths between the nearest path and myself. After another careful sweep of the area, I decided that I had just imagined the feeling of being watched. I started to turn back to the brick wall when a subtle movement caught my eye.

There! I spun to get a better view and narrowed my eyes, but whoever it was had already moved on. All I caught was the faint stirring of grass near the path and the swirl of what might have been a black cloak. "Damn," I muttered to myself with a grimace. "Could it be…Him?"

Still nervous at the thought that someone had been watching me, I hastily pressed on the brick to release the catch. The door sprung inward an inch, and I pushed on the left half to swing the door open. As soon as I was through, I quickly hefted the door back into place, making sure to seal it well.

"Oye, Scarlet, where've you been?" a slightly annoyed voice came from behind me. "You're almost ten minutes late."

I turned to address the man standing in the doorway leading into the main part of the building. His arms were crossed over his muscular, shirtless chest, and his orange hair was spiky and sticking up in every direction. His hazel eyes were lined with black makeup, and an elaborate design that resembled a fiery sunset was drawn down the right side of his face with red and black makeup.

"Nice to see you too, Loke." I strolled towards him with a bored look on my face. Loke was the heartthrob of the circus for all the female performers, but he had a particular penchant for violence. Not that I had anything against violence. It was mostly his attitude that I didn't like. He seemed to think that he was entitled to any of the women he wanted, and was notorious for raping women who wouldn't willingly give him what he wanted. I'd nearly killed him the year that Lucy had arrived, when I'd caught him trying to have his way with her. Since then, Lucy and I had been best friends, and Loke and I had developed a strong hatred for each other. It was only heightened because I was the only woman in the circus who could defeat him hands-down in a fight.

"The Ringmaster will hear of this," he threatened gleefully as I brushed past him.

That gave me pause, and I turned slowly to level an icy glare at him. "The Ringmaster will commend me when he learns that I won more customers for the Funhouse with a little stunt I pulled on the way over. As long as he's fed, he won't care how late I was."

Loke bared his teeth at me with hatred glowing in his eyes, but he knew that I had won. "We'll see about that," he growled as he stomped past me.

I watched him go with contempt evident in my eyes. A pale green tattoo was visible in between his shoulder blades. I knew that symbol as well as I knew my own face, for it was the symbol that bound us to this circus. I absentmindedly brought my hand up to rub my upper left arm, where my own dark blue tattoo was visible. They were all imbued with the Ringmaster's deadly magic, and that was what allowed our magic to take on the dark properties that were then spread to the circus-goers. They also made it impossible for us to ever leave the grounds of the circus or harm the Ringmaster.

Once he had disappeared from sight, I set off after him, heading deeper into the maze-like building. For this job, I often made my black, leathery bat wings appear. It made it easier to evoke fear from the guests when they saw a shadowy figure approaching with giant, clawed wings protruding from their back. The darkness swallowed me as I pushed aside the black velvet curtain that separated the performer's back entrance from the rest of the building that was open to the public. My eyes quickly adjusted, allowing me to navigate easily through the twisting hallways until I reached the first of the red light hallways. Now the sounds of humans moving through the hallways reached my ears, and I smiled to myself in anticipation.

The first of the giggling crowd emerged in my hallway now, clinging to each other for dear life. It was a boy and a girl, most likely dating. The boy was scoffing at this Funhouse, trying to impress his girlfriend with his bravery. _My favorite type._

I detached myself from the wall and allowed the eerie red lights to bathe my skin in a bloody shade. The couple jumped as I suddenly materialized in front of them, looking like the stuff of nightmares. "Feeling brave?" I hissed menacingly to the boy as I slinked around him, dragging my fingers across his arm. He shivered slightly and turned to me with a faked confidence.

"Hell yeah," he snorted with disdain. "A bunch of actors dressed up like freaky demons doesn't scare me."

"You're so brave," his girlfriend gushed, clinging to his arm as she leaned forward to plant a kiss on his jaw.

A dark smirk curled one corner of my mouth. "Oh, is that so? We have this lovely door here, which only the bravest dare enter. Do you have what it takes?" I stalked over to the wall like a lion approaching its prey and caressed the doorknob of the half-concealed door like a parent would a child's cheek.

He rolled his eyes and strutted over to me. "Bring it, Sweet Cheeks." He made to grab my ass, but I grabbed his wrist and squeezed it just hard enough to make him wince.

"Perfect," I purred, sneering up into his eyes. Without further delay, I twisted the doorknob and pushed open the door, revealing only darkness beyond. The boy tossed his head confidently and licked his lips at me as he sauntered through the doorway. I promptly shut the door behind him, knowing that it could only be opened from the outside. And if I recalled correctly, this particular door led to the Hall of Mirrors. The Hall of Mirrors was a circular room filled with mirrors on all sides, even on the floor and ceiling. The victim would spin around until they were on the verge of madness, and then a group of performers would emerge from the mirrors using magic, wielding bloody scythes. That was always a particularly nasty way to go.

Turning to the cowering girlfriend, I adopted the sweetest tone I could. "If you continue through the maze, you'll meet him at the end."

The girl nodded and turned to continue on through the maze, alone. As soon as she disappeared from view, a hand clasped my shoulder.

"You know, you really shouldn't encourage false hope in them like that," a familiar voice said drily. "You're really too cruel, Er-chan."

I turned with a grin and swatted the man on the chest. I peered up into the black eyes of my other best friend and shoved him playfully. "Oh, _I'm_ the cruel one, Natsu? I clearly remember that one time when you—"

"Oh, fine!" he laughed, throwing his hands up in the air. "You win!" He ran a hand through his spiky pink hair, making it even messier. His eyes were also ringed with black makeup, though his only other makeup was a streak of red running down from the corner of his mouth, made to resemble blood. His naturally sharp canines only made the role of resident 'vampire' more appropriate for him. He wore a black waistcoat that flared out around his black trousers, with a long left sleeve and no sleeve on the right. It showed off the red tattoo on his right shoulder, though it wasn't very distinguishable under the red lights.

"How did your evening performance go?" I asked, leaning back against the wall. Natsu's specialty was fire magic, and he was the best fire mage I'd ever seen. His favorite 'trick' was to eat fire, though the audience never knew that he was literally eating it to fuel his own magic. It was the same thing with the Ringmaster's magic; he fed on death to fuel his death magic.

Natsu leaned against the wall next to me, crossing his arms over his chest. "Great! I did this really cool trick where I set someone on fire, and then sucked all the flames off them before they had a chance to burn. It was totally a hit with the ladies, for some reason."

For someone who only lost in terms of popularity among the ladies to Loke (though I could not understand why anybody would like that asshole), he was awfully clueless at times. That was one of the reasons why his girlfriend, Lisanna, was always getting irritated with him; he would flirt with other girls without even realizing it. "That's great, Natsu." I patted him on the shoulder. "Anything else happen that was particularly eventful?"

As suddenly as if I had just flipped a switch, Natsu went from laid-back and happy to serious and intense. "Erza, I saw him again."

"Him?" I repeated, my blood suddenly running cold.

Natsu nodded gravely. "Yeah. He's back. He's the only one who wears a black cloak with the hood pulled up."

So it had been him spying on me earlier. My gut clenched in a mix of fear and excitement. Everybody who came to the Suicide Circus ended up committing suicide. It was a rule. But, as with every rule, there appeared to be an exception. This particular exception showed up every week, and had been appearing regularly for three months now, always in the same mysterious attire. No one knew who he was, and yet everyone seemed to fear and hate him. Some performers suspected that he was actually a ghost, since he was immune to our tricks. Others believed him to be a powerful enemy who was here to shut down the circus. But while no one knew the specifics of his circumstances, everyone knew one thing, which could not be refuted. And that was that he was unlike anything we had ever encountered before, because he was the one who never died.

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**Ooooh, who could it be? ;) Sorry, this chapter was also kind of slow. It should get better with the next chapter... Anyways, drop a review to let me know what you think of this chapter! I looooooove feedback. But no bashing, please. :P **

**Well, I think that's about all I have to say. If I forgot something, I'm sorry. It's really late, and my poor brain isn't at its peak. :3 So don't forget to follow, favorite and leave a review! :D **


	3. Chapter 3 - Room 213-O

A/N: So, some of you might have noticed that I changed the rating on this story to M. The reason for that is the violent and gory nature of this story, which is more fully expressed in this chapter. It's also liable to get worse as the story goes on. Be warned. Language also gets worse in this chapter. The rating is NOT because there will be lemon in this story, because there will not.

Anyways, my thanks go to **Arcobaleno-lover, ScarletAnastasia, Yuki-Katase, romance123lover **and** Lightmoon54** for your reviews on the last chapter! :) Additional thanks go to **ZombiesAteMyBrain13, JuviaIce, MeatAndWatermelons,** **rosella ice, ScarletDragon522 **and **Ein011 **for favoriting and/or following!

And now, please enjoy Chapter Three! :)

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**Chapter Three – Room 213-O**

"I felt a chill, the disappointment that increases…" ~the GazettE, The Suicide Circus

Once again, I found myself leading a man to his death. His crime? Getting a little frisky with his hands while my attention was diverted on a young couple that I had been trying to lure into the Funhouse. And my outfit tonight was even more modest than on previous nights, for goodness' sake! Tonight was especially cold for this time of year. A few days had passed since the night on which He had appeared again, and the nights had been growing progressively chillier. Accordingly, I had busted out my most concealing outfit; a shiny black jumpsuit with a plasticky texture that cut off on my upper thighs and had no sleeves. At least it had a collar that extended all the way up to my chin, and I was able to wear fishnet stockings underneath, which were tucked into my usual black boots. The urge to just turn around and introduce my stiletto heels to the man's nether regions was almost too strong to resist, but somehow I managed to keep walking calmly.

"I know a place where we can have a little more…privacy," I had said suggestively, running my hand across the scum's chest. He'd been only too eager to take me up on that offer, and so now I found myself sashaying down the red-lit hallways of the Funhouse. The man was following uncomfortably close, but there wasn't anything I could do. Yet.

After a painfully long two minutes, I arrived at the perfect door. Those of us who had been here for upwards of ten years knew this building inside and out, so it made it easy to pick and choose which doors would be best for certain people. I tried not to feel too guilty whenever I led innocents to their death—or at best, their grave injury—but when it came to pigs like this man, I was only too happy to give in to the sadistic pleasure.

"Follow me," I said flirtatiously, turning the knob and gliding backward across the threshold. The coppery stench of old blood assaulted my nose, but it was so faint that I knew the man wouldn't be able to smell it. He licked his lips as his eyes traveled to my chest, and he stepped through the door after me without hesitation. As soon as he was through, the door slammed shut behind him, casting us into total darkness. I heard his sharp intake of breath, and smiled to myself. "Don't be afraid; I'm over here."

"You'd damn well better make this worth my time, circus whore," he growled as he stumbled towards my voice. My aura turned frigid as I affixed my steely gaze on him through the darkness. _Oh yes, he deserves what he has coming to him._

Taking the opportunity to slip the small vial of eye drops from my small zippered pocket, I tipped my head back and squeezed a single droplet into each eye. Mere seconds later, the room became illuminated by a sickly green light. Or rather, it appeared to be illuminated; the eye drops were special night-vision drops that had been designed for us by the resident apothecary. I was now able to see the disgusting man stumbling closer, his hands held out before him as he tried to feel for me.

"That's right," I murmured, almost to myself, "come a little closer…."

As soon as he was in the center of the room, I quickly scuttled off to the side, where I knew a secret door was hidden. Only those who knew of its existence could find it, just like the back door to the Funhouse. Without bothering to hide my noise, I used a tiny key to undo the bolt and pulled the small door open. After all, he wouldn't be around long enough to follow me through. I heard his curses as he realized that something wasn't right, but it was already too late; he had already tripped the invisible wire that released the wolves. As I slipped through the door, I heard them stalk from their cages. Their claws clacked against the cold cement floor, and I paused to glance back. The man was desperately trying to find a way out, though he had no idea what was coming for him. Like sharks feeling out their prey, the wolves darted past him, brushing fleetingly up against his sides. His panic was palpable as he screamed and jerked around. The wolves' coats were solid black, perfect for blending in. _Maybe I should turn on the red lights at the very end, just long enough for him to see his death coming…._

"You bitch!" he screamed wildly, thrashing his arms about as if to fend off the wolves. "Where are you?! You will pay for this! You will die before a man ever makes the mistake of falling for you!"

My eyes hardened. _Yes, I will definitely let him see their fangs dripping with his blood as they lunge for his throat._ Already, I could see the wolves preparing to attack him seriously. There were five of them, and they were all crouched in ring around him. Strings of saliva dripped from their jaws as they watched him with hungry eyes. "Your threats are useless," I said coldly. I could see his head snap in the direction of my voice, but the wolves paid me no mind; even they knew better than to mess with me. "I don't need love. I will never fall in love. And you will die here tonight, so I would save my breath for a final prayer, if I were you."

"Curse you!" he screamed just as the wolves leapt. They staggered their attacks, leaping in to take a bite, and then leaping back to let their brothers have a chance. However, each time they leapt back, they stayed a little closer to him than the last time; they were closing in on him. His agonized screams echoed around the room, and I smirked as I imagined the people outside the door shuddering in terror. Yes, the Haunted Funhouse was always popular…people were rumored to hear the screams of lost souls within its walls, crying out for relief from their fiery prison. Little did they know that they were the screams of approximately eight percent of the fools who wandered into this building in the first place.

At last, as he stood quivering in the middle of the room, dripping blood and other bodily fluids, I saw the wolves prepare to take their final lunge. I lazily reached out to the small switch beside the door. As soon as I saw the alpha crouch and prepare to spring, I flipped the switch. The man's piercing scream split the air as he saw, for the first and last time, the large black wolf lunging for his throat. A moment later, the screams trailed off in a gurgle as he sank to his knees, his throat trapped in the jaws of the wolf. As one, the others jumped on him, and the sounds of ripping flesh and snapping bones filled the blood-red air.

I sighed as I slipped through the door and shut it softly behind me. Now I would have to track down someone to clean up the mess. Thankfully, it wasn't my week to clean up in the Funhouse. As I was running through a mental list of the cleaning schedule to find whose week it was, I stepped out into the hallway and closed the door softly behind me, making sure to lock it. I turned to make my way down the hall, but came to an abrupt stop. A tall man with a black cloak was slowly walking at the end of the hall, looking around as though he was trying to find something. Almost at the exact same time that I stopped, he noticed my presence and froze.

_It...it couldn't be,_ I thought to myself in shock. _It's Him...he can't be back here._ This was a private hallway that was used by the performers to slip from room to room unnoticed, as it connected to every room in the Funhouse. It didn't connect to any of the public hallways though...so how was _he_ back here? I could only think of one explanation: he had come through one of the rooms.

No sooner had I come to this conclusion than he took off down the hall, running in the opposite direction. His cloak flared out behind him, revealing sleek black pants and black leather boots.

"Hey, wait!" I called out after him. But he had already disappeared. I ground my teeth in frustration and slammed my fist into the wall. What had he been doing back here? And which door had he come through? As I moved down the hall after him, I got my answer—a door on the right was unlocked. We _always_ locked the doors after coming through, to prevent our guests from escaping, so I knew that it wasn't just a coincidence. And that meant that he had somehow managed to not only find the door in the pitch black darkness, but had also somehow unlocked it without a key. The door was old and worn, but from the thin coating of dust over it, I knew that it hadn't been used in a while. Curiosity overcame me as I took a closer look at the door, wondering which room it hid. A small number was etched into the wood to the right of the doorknob, and I stooped closer to read it. 213-O. My face paled as I reread the number to make sure I had read it correctly. Sure enough, it read 213-O.

I leaned against the wall beside the door, my mind racing. I had heard of this door, though I had never been behind it myself. The coating of dust made sense now; none of the performers were suicidal enough to venture into this room. And come to think of it, the door on the other side was also locked, so it was impossible for someone to have just wandered into this room. I also didn't think that any of the performers were still guiding people into its depths, simply because of how dangerous it was for anyone to enter, even the performers. So why the _hell_ had this mysterious man intentionally gone through that door? And how had he survived, without so much as a scratch to show for it?

My desire to know who he was skyrocketed. Anyone who stepped through that door found themselves faced with a hellish carnival of death. A narrow bridge that was about the width of a metal pole spanned the length of the room, the only way across the bottomless pit that extended below. No one knew exactly how deep the pit was, because it didn't connect to the network of other underground rooms into which people fell from other rooms. Rumor had it that it led to the lair of a beast that lived beneath the circus, though no one had ever returned from the pit to verify the rumor. Only the Ringmaster knew, though he certainly wasn't telling. However, the few people who had dared to open the door had reported a stench so foul that they could still feel it hot in their faces, reeking of old carcasses and death. And that wasn't even the worst of it. Even if one somehow managed to find their way onto the narrow bridge in the utter darkness, they had to contend with the spears and daggers that were released from loaded catapults along the walls. If they, against all hopes, managed to make it halfway across the bridge, a single red light was turned on at the end of it, illuminating a door that promised freedom. And if they managed to avoid the blasts of flame that sprang up from the bridge itself, they would discover that the door at the end of the bridge was actually a fake. From there, it was up to them how they decided to die, though most preferred the unknown jump into the yawning abyss. After all, their corpse would find its way down there eventually.

I slammed my fist into the wall again, the frustration of not knowing nearly killing me. Not even I knew where the real door lay in relation to the bridge, so how the hell had this stranger managed to find his way out? It was beyond maddening. I had to know who he was.

Deciding that I needed to share this unsettling bit of news with a friend, I set off in search of Natsu, who was also working in the Funhouse on this particular night. I slipped quietly into a room that contained an illusory pack of lions, using my night vision to navigate the safe path that wouldn't trip the illusions. On the other side of the entrance door, I ran into a group of shrieking teenagers. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, especially when I saw what had them so worked up. A certain fire mage had completely covered himself in flames, and was running towards them through the hall with a wail that would do any ghost proud. Too frightened to notice me, they took off in the opposite direction, screaming bloody murder and crying that this place was worse than Hell. And they didn't even know the half of it.

Natsu came to a stop in front of me, laughing his head off. Ordinarily, I would laugh along with him, congratulating him on his spectacular scare. However, I was still too shaken by what I had discovered. After a moment, Natsu straightened and gave me a curious look. It was odd to see his black eyes staring calmly at me through the wreath of fire around his body, even though it was a sight I had seen numerous times.

"Erza? What's wrong?"

"He's here again," I said grimly. Natsu's flames immediately sputtered out, his face going from curious and concerned to grave and wary.

"But it's only been three days since his last appearance," he said in disbelief. I nodded my understanding, and he raked a hand through his hair. "Well, that is concerning, but something like that wouldn't be enough to ruffle your feathers. Spill; what else did you discover?"

Looking furtively around to make sure that we were alone, I beckoned him closer. "I saw him in the back hallway that connects to all the outlets of the rooms," I murmured. "And you'll never believe this. The room he came through? Room 213-O."

Natsu reeled back like he'd been slapped. "You're shitting me. Please tell me that you're shitting me." My look was the only confirmation he needed; I was still pale and wide-eyed with shock. "Fuck. Where did he go?"

"I have no idea. He disappeared down the hall before I had a chance to follow, and he was moving too fast for me to be able to give chase."

"We have to kill him."

I blinked at Natsu in disbelief. "Excuse me?" I asked, not quite sure I'd heard him correctly.

"He has to die, Erza." Natsu's voice had gone cold and hard, and his face gave away nothing. "He's seen too much. And if he's powerful enough to survive that room…there's no telling how much damage he could cause. He has to be eliminated."

I felt my own face icing over, and the temperature in the hall dropped several degrees as we stared at each other. "We could use him," I finally said. "It would be a waste to let such talent disappear from the earth."

"Don't fight it, Erza. You know as well as I do that it would never work."

"And why is that?" I asked icily.

Natsu sighed, running his fingers through his hair in agitation. "I don't see why you're fighting this so hard. It's not like your hands are clean." He paused, a look of realization crossing his face. "You don't…like him, do you? Shit, Scarlet, tell me you don't like him!" He was veritably snarling now, shaking me roughly by the shoulders.

I angrily slapped his hands away and shoved him across the hallway. His back smacked against the wall, and I stalked slowly toward him, pure predator. "How dare you make such an assumption," I hissed menacingly. Natsu seemed to realize the grave mistake he'd made, for he blanched and held up his hands in an attempt to make peace. "I would never fall for our prey, much less one whose face I've never even seen. And you, Natsu Dragneel, have no power to order me around. Shall I teach you a lesson you won't soon forget?"

Natsu grimaced, a flicker of regret crossing his face. "Erza, I—"

He didn't get a chance to finish, because a new voice rumbled toward us from down the hall. "Scarlet, Dragneel, you're needed in the main tent. Two of the tightrope walkers are out of commission, so you're up." The man addressing us was tall and bulky, his muscles practically bursting from his tight spandex acrobat pants. His muscular chest was bare, exposing a large black tattoo across the left side of his chest. A jagged scar cut through his right eye, and his spiky blond hair was cut relatively short. Laxus Dreyar, the right-hand man to the Ringmaster.

"Yes, sir," Natsu and I said together, knowing better than to ignore a request from Laxus. Even though we had different specialties, many of us were also trained in the acrobatic arts for occasions just such as these, so we had to be prepared to fill in on a moment's notice.

As we followed the large, intimidating man through the Funhouse to the exit, we passed screaming revelers and fellow performers. The revelers instinctively gave us a wide berth, and the other performers nodded to us as we passed. Suddenly, I caught a flash of movement in my periphery. Turning my head ever so slightly to the side, I thought I saw the flutter of a black cloak in one of the side hallways. And though I couldn't explain why, I knew that I didn't want to end such a bright spark of life. I would crack his secret and find out who he was, and if I died trying, then so be it.

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**Ooh, what do you all think of that? I would be much obliged if you would leave a review, kind readers. ;) And don't forget to favorite and follow this story if you want to be informed of updates! :) **

**Oh my gosh, it feels so weird to be updating in the middle of the day! O.O It's only 1:30 in the afternoon, and I'm used to updating around 2 in the morning! T.T Such a weird feeling! So if I forgot something, blame it on the early hour. :P It's messing with my head. **

**One last thing. I will try to get at least one more update in on this story before Saturday, when I'm leaving for a week-long mini mission for my church. And the day after I get back, I will be leaving for another camp, so I won't be able to update for two weeks. T.T So if I don't update for a grossly long period of time, that would be why. :) Just a little heads up! Man, it sucks to have a busy summer. T.T **


	4. Chapter 4 - Savior and Killer

A/N: Well, here it is, guys: the last chapter before my two-week absence. I would like to thank **romance123lover, Lightmoon54, The Final Prayer, GingerificFabulousTime, Arcobaleno-lover, dancingteddy, Lou.D, Shonnyterra **and **Miss Avund** for the fabulous reviews! :D You guys rock! I'd also like to thank **rawrryy69** for favoriting and following! :) Wow, this must be a record for the proportion of people faving/following this story who also left a review. O.O I'm so happy! :D

Disclaimer: I have nothing against any of the characters who suffer dreadful fates in this story. I love all of the Fairy Tail characters! :)

And now...Chapter Four. :3 Kids, do not try these stunts at home. o.O Enjoy!

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**Chapter Four – Savior and Killer**  
"Even death becomes the prey…" ~the GazettE, The Suicide Circus

I felt my brows knit together as we mounted the stage from the back entrance. The curtains were still down, preventing the gathering audience from seeing the preparations being made onstage. But the audience wasn't the cause of my worry right now. As I took in the cluster of people on the stage, I realized that the act they had planned for this evening's performance was one that we'd had quite a bit of trouble with in the past; the triple-layer, seven-person pyramid tightrope walking.

My eyes darted off to the side when I heard a gasp of pain. Immediately, I felt my blood pressure rise when I saw Lucy lying on a mat, both of her legs wrapped to splints. A couple people were finishing settling her in to be transported on the mat. My eyes narrowed dangerously as I made my way over to them.

"What happened?" I asked in a frosty voice. Lucy was usually on the middle layer of the pyramid, and she had an exceptional sense of balance that was reminiscent of a cat. There was no way that her clumsiness had been at fault for this injury.

"Erza!" Lucy exclaimed as she turned her head to look at me. Her eyes were glazed with pain, but her voice was steady. "It was nothing. I'll be fine in a day or two, after the healer has a chance to look at me."

"It was not 'nothing,'" I said in a clipped voice.

Bisca, the other person who stood on the middle layer of the pyramid, approached me with an obvious limp. One of her arms was splinted and wrapped to her chest, and a scratch cut across her right cheek. "The bottom layer is having difficulties today," she said testily, angling a glare at the group of people in the center of the stage. "Jet and Droy were being idiots during practice and decided it would be a good idea to start up a fight, evidently forgetting that they had three people balanced above them on narrow poles!" Her voice was heated as she finished, and I felt my own anger boiling up.

"Thank you, Bisca. I hope you recover quickly." She nodded at me and followed Lucy's stretcher out of the main tent. I turned my attention to the group on the stage. "Jet! Droy!" I snapped, approaching them with a menacing snarl on my face.

The two men cringed as they heard my voice. "Y-yes?" they asked, turning around.

"Are you fucking stupid? How dare you allow your focus to slip so terribly! It is a disgrace! Two women are injured because of you. Now, unless you get your act together, I will personally castrate you and string your balls on a cord around your throat for the world to see!"

They gulped visibly, sweat running down their pale faces. "Yes, ma'am! We understand!"

Laxus walked past me, ignoring the two idiots. "We've already had to delay the performance by ten minutes," he shouted to the performers. "That is unacceptable. You _will_ get your act together and do this the correct way, or you'll take a little trip to the Ringmaster. Now, everyone in position in three minutes!"

We all jumped to do as he instructed. Since Lucy and Bisca weren't able to be the two middle people, that left Natsu and I to fill their places. We both hurriedly changed into the showy uniform that the tightrope walkers wore: a silver, sequined bikini for the girls and tight silver acrobat pants with black stripes running down the sides of the legs for the boys. As Natsu and I hurriedly slipped the thin black shoes onto our feet, the others prepared their balance poles.

The audience suddenly burst into applause, and I figured that Laxus had mounted the stage on the other side of the curtain. Sure enough, as soon as the cheering died down, I heard his voice say, "Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen! We apologize for the delay, and hope that you will still enjoy this performance. Concessions are available at the back of the tent. And now, we bring you…the Tightrope Walkers!" The cheers escalated again as the curtains were raised.

We all smiled brightly as we walked out onto the stage. After circling around a few times to let the audience admire us, we pulled into position in front of the ladder on stage left. The four on the bottom level went first: Gajeel, Elfman, Jet and Droy. The three of us still down below waited while they cleared the platform at the top of the ladder. Gajeel stepped out onto the rope first, bringing his balance pole up in front of him. His long black hair was tied back neatly, and it swayed a little as he walked out a few meters. Next, Jet walked out, bringing two poles with him. He rested one end of the shorter pole on Gajeel's left shoulder, and the other end on his own. Then he held up his longer pole for balance. Droy went next, and Elfman followed him. Once the pole was resting on both of their shoulders, Natsu and I started up, leaving the top person, Levy, at the bottom. Natsu cupped his hands for me to step into as a boost to help me climb onto the pole between Droy and Elfman. Taking my own balance pole in hand, I stepped carefully over onto the pole between Gajeel and Jet. I felt the tightrope sway beneath us as Natsu climbed up onto the pole behind me. Then he braced one end of a pole on my left shoulder and the other on his own.

The crowd cheered as Levy and an assistant mounted the ladder, anxiously waiting for us to complete our pyramid. Once she reached the top, she grabbed the chair that was already waiting on the platform. The assistant cupped his hands for her to step in, and then helped her to stand on the same pole as Natsu, just behind him. She then lithely climbed up his back with both the chair and her balance pole in her hands, and placed the chair meticulously in the center of the pole between Natsu and me. Levy took a moment to make sure that the horizontal bars connecting the legs were exactly balanced, and then she carefully skirted the chair to stand in front of it. Once she had seated herself on it, the crowd cheered again.

As one, the four men on the bottom began slowly walking across the tightrope. Natsu and I remained as steady as we could, so that Levy wouldn't be thrown off balance. It was a good thing that Natsu and I were the same height. Once we reached the center of the tightrope, Levy stood up on the sides of the chair legs, took a moment to get her balance, and then stepped up onto the top of the chair. The crowd roared as she smiled out at them. After a moment, I felt the subtle shift of weight that let me know that she had stepped up onto the chair's back.

We continued like this all the way to the end of the tightrope. The crowd was already going wild, awed by our skill and grace. However, we weren't done. In fact, we hadn't even gotten to the most dangerous part.

As one, those of us on the bottom two rows lifted the poles that were stretched between our shoulders and slowly twisted our bodies so that we were facing the other direction, and the poles now rested on our right shoulders. We began making our way back down the tightrope, the four men on the bottom stepping in sync with each other. The stage stretched out down below us, no safety net to obscure our view of it.

When we were about a quarter of the way across, our pyramid came to a halt. Laxus stood on the platform at the end of the rope, facing us. I suppressed a grimace as we prepared for the next part of our act, which Laxus was now getting ready to administer. He held up a flaming torch, and the audience heaved a collective gasp. Judging from the excited murmurs, they knew exactly what was coming. Unfortunately, this was always the start of where we encountered difficulties. I prayed silently that everything would go off without a hitch this time.

Laxus brought the torch down against the tightrope, which was coated with fireproof enamel so that the rope wouldn't snap. No, the men on the bottom just had to walk across a burning rope with only thin-soled slippers to protect their feet. I narrowed my eyes and sent mental pleas for the men to be able to get through it without a wobble. It was always a sore point with me that I wasn't tall enough to be on the bottom level with the other men, and none of the girls my height were strong enough to carry two levels of people above them. Otherwise, I could have used my superior pain toleration and composure to guide everyone across the burning rope. As it was, all I could do was silently cheer them on and hope that the thin coating of heat-resistant fabric on the bottoms of their shoes would hold up.

The fire raced along the rope towards us, and I saw Natsu's muscles tense in front of me. Thankfully, Elfman remained calm as the first of the flames reached him, and the bottom row continued to make progress across the rope. I felt the pole beneath my feet waver as Jet quivered, and ground my teeth as I fought to maintain my balance. "Focus, Jet!" I hissed as I tilted my balance pole to stabilize me. If I fell because this idiot couldn't handle a few flames, I was going to rip his entrails out.

When we were about halfway across, Laxus grabbed a bow off the platform and fitted an arrow to it. He then proceeded to hold the tip of the arrow to the flaming rope until it caught fire, and then straightened as he drew the flaming arrow back. The crowd went wild when he launched it at us. The arrow embedded itself in the pole beneath Natsu's feet, the fire spreading across it. I heard the hiss of pain as the burning pole pressed into Elfman's and Droy's shoulders. Next, an arrow thudded into the pole beneath me. By the time the third arrow's fire spread across the pole between Natsu and me, we were all clenching our teeth and sweating profusely as we fought to maintain our composure.

_Just a little further_, I thought to myself. The strain was taking its toll on us, and I felt Jet and Gajeel waver beneath me.

We were almost to the end when disaster struck. One moment we were making our way steadily across the rope while the audience watched with bated breath, and the next, the crowd had surged to its feet as all hell broke loose. Three lions had somehow broken free of their trainer—a girl named Yukino—and were now rampaging around the tent. I had no idea how they had gotten into the tent without being caught before, but didn't have time to dwell on it. The people in the audience were screaming and running for the exit, and Laxus had turned to aim three arrows at the lions. Too late, I realized that I had begun to fall. Jet had become so distracted and frightened that he had forgotten the need to focus, and had pitched forward to push the others toward the platform. The pole I had been standing on slipped from his shoulder, leaving me to tumble from the pyramid.

As I fell, I saw Levy begin to follow me down. Thankfully, Gajeel reached out and caught her before she could make it past the rope, and he pressed her firmly to his chest so that she wouldn't lose her balance. However, that didn't solve the little problem of me _plummeting forty feet to a rickety old stage_.

"_Fuck you, Jet!_" I screamed as I fell. The orange-haired man realized his grave mistake as soon as he heard my voice, and he looked down at me with terror showing plainly on his sweaty face. _If this fall doesn't kill me, I swear that I will rip his arms out of his shoulders,_ I thought furiously.

I closed my eyes and tucked into a ball as I neared the stage, praying that I wouldn't break my spine. Just when I thought that I was about to crash into the stage, I felt something grab me. Rather, it felt like something had _caught_ me. My eyes snapped open and I looked around in a near panic. I just about stopped breathing when I realized that I was in the arms of a man. But not just any man; it was the mysterious man who always wore a black cloak with the hood pulled up. He was crouched on the stage, cradling me to his chest. His head was bowed, the hood obscuring most of his face. However, at this distance, I was able to see the tip of a red tattoo extending down from his right eye across his cheek.

"You…" I gasped, still in shock at finding myself not only _not_ splattered across the stage, but cradled safely in the arms of the mystery guest.

He directed his gaze to my face, and I caught a glimpse of dark blue hair falling across deep brown eyes. My eyes widened involuntarily as I realized that in our current position, I was sitting in his lap with his arms around me, and his face was mere inches from my own. And suddenly, I felt very aware of the fact that I was clad only in a shimmery bikini. A shimmery bikini that advertised my assets more than it concealed them. To my shock and horror, I found myself doing something that I hadn't done in years: blushing. The world seemed to stand still around us as I stared into his shadowy eyes, questions racing through my mind at a million miles a second.

"Why…?" I started to say in a whisper.

The frantic voices of my fellow performers reached my ears, and I turned to see that they had safely made it to the platform and were rushing down the ladder. As if I were on fire, the hooded man dropped me onto the stage and snapped upright. I looked up at him through the haze of shock that still covered my mind and saw him cast one last glance at me, his eyes steely. Then he turned and raced towards the exit of the tent, disappearing into the night.

"Erza! Are you alright?" Natsu demanded as he fell to his knees at my side.

"Oh Erza, I'm so sorry," Levy sobbed, her cheeks moist with tears.

I looked up at my friends, and just like that, the spell was broken. My eyes widened as I leapt to my feet. "Th-that man!" I exclaimed, nearly hitting my head on Natsu's face as he hastily leapt out of the way.

"Calm down! You shouldn't move around so much; you might be injured."

I cast an irritated glance at Natsu. "That's what I was trying to tell you," I snapped. "I'm not injured! That man caught me."

"Which man?" Natsu demanded with narrowed eyes.

"You know which one," I said testily. "The one you wanted to kill."

Natsu swore as he grabbed me by my shoulders. "I told you he's dangerous, Erza! What if he's the one who released the lions?"

All the others crowded around, anger rising as they demanded to know who we were talking about. "Which bastard was responsible for this?" Gajeel growled.

"I just told you, you fucktards!" I said testily. "He saved my life. I highly doubt he would try to kill us only to catch me when I fell. Speaking of falling," I said slowly, my eyes like icy fire, "where is Jet?"

The man in question stood quivering behind the others. At my words, they parted so that he could inch forward. "E-Erza," he began in a strangled voice, "I-I'm so s-sorry. I s-swear, I didn't mean to—"

"That doesn't matter!" I yelled furiously. My emotions were already running so high tonight, I was beyond control now. "You almost killed me! Do you know what that means?" My voice went dangerously quiet; the calm before the storm.

"P-Please, no—"

His words were cut off as my sword appeared in my hand. In one swift move, I plunged the blade into his stomach. A gut-wrenching cry echoed around the deserted tent, and I watched him coldly as I dragged the blade upwards, toward his heart. After one final gurgle, Jet toppled forward. I yanked my blade out, and he fell limply to the floor. His blood seeped into the wood, adding yet another stain to the stage. I curled my lip in disgust at the sight of his intestines spilling out, and the smell…ugh.

"Who's in charge of cleaning this week?" I asked distastefully as I wiped the blade of my sword on Jet's pants.

"Th-That would be L-Lisanna," Levy stuttered. Fresh tears were streaming down her pale cheeks, and I felt momentarily bad about having just killed Jet in front of her. After all, the two had been pretty good friends.

"Great. I'll go find her," I said without emotion as I turned and made my way toward the exit. I made a mental note to apologize to the girl for making extra work for her. And while I was at it, I would track down Yukino and find out what the deal was with the lions. After all, she was just as guilty as Jet was for my fall.

As I made my way between the rows of abandoned seats, I felt an overwhelming sense of weariness descend on me. I was so emotionally confused. There was concern for Lucy, fury at Jet and Yukino, sympathy toward Levy and Lisanna, and an emotion that I couldn't quite put my finger on. Confusion, mixed with something else. Curiosity? Fascination? Dare I say _gratitude_? The memory of his arms around me flickered through my mind. I had felt so…safe. This confusion was burning inside my blood, fueling my _need_ to know who he was. I felt like a crazy woman, the need was so strong. A strange new thought occurred to me: What if he never came back? And what would I do if he disappeared forever? And perhaps the most disturbing thought of all: Was I worthy of being saved, when I killed people on a daily basis without even thinking about it?

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**Wow, is that a conscience I smell, Erza? ;D And I'm sure you have all been wondering how anyone could be a part of this circus (thank you, **The Final Prayer**, for asking about that in your review!). Are they really doing this because they want to? Well, that shall all be revealed soon. :) **

**Unfortunately, I will be going out of town tomorrow and won't return until next Saturday. :( Then, the very next day, I will be leaving for a week-long camp. I am terribly heartbroken to say that I will be unable to update during this time. T.T However, it would make me very happy if I came back to a bunch of reviews and faves/follows. ;) Let me know what you thought of this chapter, guys, and any suggestions for things you'd like to see in upcoming chapters! :D **

**See ya in two weeks! :)**


	5. Chapter 5 - The Order To Kill

A/N: Hello, my lovelies! :D I just had to find the time to update once more before I leave for another week-long camp! -.- So I hope you all enjoy this chapter! In this chapter, the cloaked man's identity is revealed! :O Soon to be revealed in coming chapters is the story of Erza's past.

Thank you to **Arcobaleno-lover, romance123lover, Y** (since you're a guest reviewer, I can't PM you to tell you how awesome you are and how much I loved your review! :O So I'll just say thank you so much right now! :D Your review made my day. ;) )**, Lightmoon54, ScarletAnastasia, Lou.D **and **ATDL-kakashilove** for your fabulous reviews! Additional thanks go to **AliceBRabit, Rainbows-and-Rainclouds, god's executioner REBORN, Smuthermuffin** (love your username!)and **jinjin1** for favoriting and/or following! :D You guys are all fabulous!

Anyways, without further ado, I give you Chapter Five. Enjoy!

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**Chapter Five – The Order To Kill**  
"Aged hatred and young cold-blooded mind…" ~the GazettE, The Suicide Circus

The sun's golden rays blinded me as I stepped out of the tent I shared with five other girls. I glared up at the offending star, raising a hand to shield my bloodshot eyes. It was already almost noon, and I still hadn't gotten the chance to catch some sleep. The circus closes every morning at 5 o'clock sharp, giving us a couple hours of darkness during which to clean up before going to bed. Paid caretakers restock the booths during the daylight hours, careful to be gone before the performers wake up at five in the evening. The evening hours are used to practice our acts and get everything ready for the guests. And every night at midnight, the gates are opened to thrill-seeking revelers.

Today, however, was not a normal day. After the fiasco with the tightrope act, I'd found Lisanna and she had cleaned up the mess with Jet on the stage. The rest of us had carried on with our performances, preparing the main tent for the next act. The roisterers had been the trickiest part to clean up. The security forces had had to restrain all of the people who had fled from the tent, and the resident hypnotist had brainwashed them into thinking that the lions had been part of the act. Still, there had been a lot of damage control to do, and that had made the Ringmaster none too happy. He rarely showed himself though, so, per usual, Laxus had been the one to carry out his punishments.

I came to a stop, realizing that my feet had carried me to the main tent without my knowledge. A grim air settled over me as I turned my head to the gruesome evidence of the Ringmaster's displeasure. After Laxus had reported the mishaps in the tent, we had all felt the black aura leeching across the circus. Mere minutes later, we had all heard the screams as Laxus carried out the Ringmaster's will.

I kept my face perfectly neutral as I stared up at Yukino's rigid form. Three long stakes were run through the side of her body, attached to two poles sticking up from the ground. The first stake pierced through her outstretched arms. It entered through one of her upper arms, ran through her shoulders and everything in between, and then protruded from her other upper arm. The second stake went through her ribcage, and the third went through her waist right above her hip bones. Dried blood caked her sides, and fresh rivulets slowly trickled down her sides, dripping off the stakes and coursing down the outsides of her legs to drip off her feet. My face remained impassive as I took in her mangled body. Her muscles were taut from the hours of torturous pain in which she had hung there, on display for all of us to see. She was to serve as a warning for all of us; this was what would become of us if we screwed up and risked the circus gig being blown. Poor Yukino had hung there for hours, gasping as her life had slowly seeped from her broken body. But now, she was de—

Yukino's eyes opened. I felt my stomach churn as her blood-red eyes slowly traveled to me. The blood vessels in her eyes had long since burst from the strain of trying to stay alive. I couldn't hide my shock that she was still alive, and I stumbled backwards. How was she still alive? Horror filled me as she slowly and haltingly turned her head. Dried flakes of blood peeled away from her neck as she moved it for the first time in hours. I couldn't breathe as her chest slowly and painfully tried to inflate for her to draw breath. She looked like a living corpse.

"Er…za…" she whispered hoarsely, her voice coming out barely louder than a breath. "He…must…." Her voice trailed off as a gurgling cough wracked her body. Blood bubbled up from her mouth, spilling over her lips and down her chin.

I took a step closer, casting a furtive glance around me to make sure that no one else was near. "Who are you talking about?" I asked in a low, urgent voice. _She must have stayed alive this long because she had an important message to tell,_ I thought anxiously. _Come on, Yukino, what were you saying?_

As if she hadn't heard me, she continued through the blood flowing from her mouth. "You must…kill…him…."

My blood ran cold as I heard her words. Immediately, an image of dark blue hair and deep brown eyes invaded my mind. "Who must I kill, Yukino?" I demanded in a low voice. I closed the distance between us, so that I was standing right in front of her. My face was at a level with her chest, so I looked up into her gaunt, pallid face. "Who?"

She took a shallow, shuddering breath, trying to draw enough air to speak. The sound of her breath rattling through her blood-filled lungs and throat reminded me of bones dancing in a wintery breeze as they hung from a skeletal tree branch. "The…black…." Her voice trailed off for the last time as her eyes shuttered closed, one final breath slipping through her bloody lips on a sigh.

"Yukino!" My voice was louder and harsher than I had intended, but I didn't care now. She couldn't tell me this much only to reveal nothing at all! "The black what?! _Who must I kill?_" _The black something…the black-cloaked man?_ I wondered desperately. I was on the verge of reaching up to grab her shoulders and shake her—or tear her down from the stakes; I hadn't decided yet—when I heard a snide voice behind me.

"I always knew you were unstable, but I never thought you were _this_ crazy."

I whirled around, my eyes blazing. "Fuck off, Loke," I snarled. "I'm in no mood for your shit."

The orange-haired man's eyes narrowed dangerously as he leveled a frosty glare at me. "Careful, Scarlet. The Ringmaster might not be too happy with you if he learns that you have plans to kill someone else. Especially when I clearly heard you conspiring with the corpse to kill his right-hand man."

_Damn you, Loke. That is a threat that I cannot let slide. I'm already fortunate that he was willing to overlook my killing Jet. _

We stood and glared at each other for several minutes, neither of us moving a muscle. I stood still as a statue as I contemplated my next move. He knew as well as I did that Yukino hadn't actually named anyone for me to kill, but there was no proof except both of our witnesses, and Loke sure as hell wasn't about to let me get off free and clear. It would be his word against mine, and the Ringmaster wasn't one to give someone the benefit of the doubt. Especially when it made perfect sense for Yukino to want revenge against Laxus. After all, he had done this to her. If Loke told Laxus about this (since he couldn't contact the Ringmaster directly), I'd be doing the dead man's dance before I could say, "Well, shit."

After several tense minutes, our silent standoff was broken by the arrival of none other than the Ringmaster's right-hand man. "Regulus, Scarlet, follow me."

Loke and I exchanged glances. I held my breath as I waited for him to say the words that would get me strung up just like Yukino. However, he just smirked knowingly at me and turned to follow Laxus. I ground my teeth as I forced my feet to move. _Damn. He knows he's got me, and he's just toying with me now. He'll wait until I'm not expecting it, and then he'll strike. _

I didn't have long to dwell on my hatred for Loke, because it was shoved aside by my worries over what Laxus wanted with us. He never explained why he wanted someone when they most needed to know. And his tone was always the same, giving nothing away. He could be leading us to our execution as easily as he could be leading us to a feast in our honor, and we would never know either way.

Loke walked a few paces ahead of me, right behind Laxus. If he could feel my gaze on his back, he gave no indication of it. _If only looks could kill_, I thought morosely. I cast one last glance over my shoulder at Yukino's corpse. She looked so small and lonely, her short, light blue hair blowing in the wind. Her head was bowed against her chest, and the dark red of her blood stood in sharp contrast to her white clothes. Angry though I had been at her last night, I didn't think she deserved to have died in such a manner.

At last, we came to a stop outside a large tent. My brows knitted in wary confusion as Laxus held the tent flaps open for us. This was the planning tent, the tent we gathered in to discuss important matters. We really only used it when something had gone wrong and couldn't be fixed with a quick spell. _This doesn't bode well._

I followed Loke into the dim interior, looking around at the other performers gathered around the oval table in the center of the tent. It looked like almost everybody was there.

"Have a seat," Laxus rumbled from behind us.

I strode over to a chair beside Natsu and sat down, trying to hide my anxiety. "What's going on?" I whispered as I leaned close to him.

"A meeting has been called," he said vaguely. His face was blank and impassive, and I felt my anxiety increasing. Instinctively, I looked around for other people I could rely on. Lucy wasn't here, as she still couldn't walk, but Levy was here, sitting across the table from me.

"Who called it, and for what purpose?" I demanded softly, my gaze going cold.

Natsu turned away, avoiding my gaze and my questions. However, my questions were answered almost immediately as Laxus took a seat at the head of the table.

"I have received some serious news today," he began, his voice immediately silencing the scattered murmurs running around the table. "It would appear that the circus is being threatened." The murmurs picked up again, but Laxus cut through them. "Dragneel, why don't you explain everything, since you were the one who came to me?"

My mouth dried up, and I felt a sour feeling in the pit of my stomach. _So,_ I thought dangerously, turning to face my friend. _What have you been telling him, huh? Let's see what story you spin with everyone's eyes on you. _

Natsu flicked a glance at me, and I could see the defiance burning in his eyes. And yet, I thought I caught the faintest hint of uncertainty as he drew a breath. "You're all aware of a certain man in a black cloak who keeps showing up," he began boldly, bracing his hands on the scarred wooden table as he leaned forward intensely. "He showed up twice this week."

Murmurs rose up again as people turned to each other with angry or worried expressions. I felt my own anger rising up, though it was for a different reason. Why couldn't Natsu just lay off? _And why am I so defensive of him?_

"That is concerning," someone said. "But how is that worthy of calling a meeting?"

"I asked Laxus to call this meeting," Natsu said testily, "because I believe this man to be looking for information on the circus with the intent to bring it down." That got a response. Several people leapt to their feet in anger and panic, their voices becoming increasingly agitated.

"How do you know?" a woman shouted above the other voices.

Everybody quieted down as they waited for his response. Even I held my breath as I waited to hear what had convinced him of this nonsense.

"I know…because I heard that he was in room 213-O and survived. Without a scratch." He let that sink in, and I felt my stomach dropping.

"Why would anyone go in there?" Levy asked, her brow crinkled in horror.

Natsu didn't have to say anything; everyone knew that the only reason anyone would enter that room was if they were either suicidal or wanted to find proof of the nefarious goings-on in the circus. And if suicide had been his intent, there was no way he could've survived, as that was the room with the highest death rate. So that left only one conclusion. My heart sank as I realized that everyone would draw this conclusion, too.

"How do we know he's telling the truth?" Loke suddenly scoffed. "I mean, he just said that he didn't even see the man leaving the room. He only heard it from someone else. If that doesn't reek of bullshit, I don't know what does. No one survives room 213-O."

For once, I was strangely grateful to Loke for being his usual skeptical self. However, I also knew that I was the one to have seen him, and I knew what I had seen. If only I had more time to figure something out….

"Ordinarily, I, too, would doubt such a tale," Natsu said. "However, the one who saw him leaving the room was none other than our own Titania, Erza Scarlet."

Everyone turned to look at me, and I felt my stone mask automatically slip into place to protect me. I silently cursed Natsu for bringing that up. My name held some weight around here, as I was renowned for not only my abilities, but my integrity, too. Whatever integrity one could have in a circus focused on killing people, anyways.

"Why don't you tell us exactly what you saw, Scarlet?" Laxus said in his deep, authoritative voice.

I nodded slowly, knowing that there was no way around this. For a moment, I considered lying about what I had seen. But then I realized that it would arouse suspicions if my account didn't match up with Natsu's, considering that I had been the one to tell him this in the first place. I ground my teeth in frustration. If I tried defending the man, everyone would think I was in league with him, and I would face punishment without a trial. But if I told them the truth, they would come to the conclusion that he had to be killed. Maybe, if I told them about how he had saved me, they would reconsider.

"It is as he said," I stated in a flat voice. "I was in the back hall and saw a figure in a black cloak walking around in the hallway. As soon as he saw me, he ran. I couldn't get to him before he disappeared, and I never saw his face, so I looked for a sign of which door he had come through. The door to room 213-O was unlocked. That is all." _There. That should be too little evidence to convict him._

"None of the doors are ever left unlocked," Natsu jumped in. "He had to have come through there."

"Exactly. None of the doors are ever left unlocked, so he couldn't have come through without a key," I added, struggling to keep the irritation from my voice.

"Maybe it wasn't him," Levy said thoughtfully.

"Who else could it have been?" Natsu snapped impatiently.

"He has a point," Loke said, crossing his arms across his chest.

I glared at both of the boys. They never agreed with each other! Loke, I expected to be a prick. But Natsu…this was new. I wasn't sure how to react to his new determination to get the cloaked man killed, but I knew that if this persisted, our friendship would be jeopardized.

_When did I start siding with the cloaked man over my own friend?_ I thought to myself then. _Is it just the curiosity that makes me want to keep him alive? Maybe it's just that I want to find out who he is before he dies. And he did save my life, so I owe it to him._ But was it worth risking my life to defend him? I felt like screaming with frustration.

"That settles it then," Laxus stated simply. "We will assume that it was, in fact, the cloaked man in that room. And if that is the case, then we can only assume that he was looking for information about the circus. And that means," he said, rising to his feet, "that he must be killed as soon as possible."

I went cold at the matter-of-fact way in which he said it. I knew that I couldn't object, because that would only serve to get me killed, as well. _Fine. I'll just have to find out who he is before they kill him._

Everyone started to rise, now that Laxus had decreed the solution. "One last thing," he announced, causing everyone to freeze. "Erza Scarlet, I will award you the honor of killing him, since it was you who were skilled enough to discover his scheme. Good luck. We will be here for you should you require any assistance." In a rare display of respect, Laxus bowed his head to me slightly.

My mouth felt like it was stuffed with sandpaper. I couldn't work up enough saliva to swallow, and it took a few tries before I was able to speak without sounding like I was being strangled. "Thank you. I…I accept this task." I was proud of myself for how clear and strong my voice sounded, despite the blood pounding in my head.

The only problem that remained now was finding a way to kill someone who had survived the room that no one had ever survived before.

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**_The cloaked man's point of view_**

As I paced around the bedroom of the apartment I'd rented in the town, I kept running my hands through my ragged blue hair. Confusion and frustration were gnawing at me, and had been ever since I returned home from the circus. In the midst of all the other thoughts that kept running through my mind, there was one thought that kept popping up. _Why did I save her?_

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her slender form falling from the tightrope, her scarlet hair flowing around her like a flame in the night. She'd been screaming her rage, but there had been an underlying note of fear in her voice. Before I'd even been aware of my actions, I'd leapt onto the stage and caught her.

I paused to sink onto the rich silk cover of my king-sized bed. Burying my head in my hands, I suppressed a yawn and the desire to lie down. I had to wait up for the message from my employer, but unfortunately, that left my mind with plenty of time to wander back to a certain circus performer.

_She felt so warm and vulnerable in my arms. And her eyes…the shock and confusion in them when she looked up at me…and then the flash of hurt when I dropped her and fled. _I knew why I had left so fast, but it still troubled me. I kept telling myself that it was because I couldn't risk anyone finding out about me, but the truth was that the look in her deep, golden brown eyes had sparked something in me. For just a moment, as she had peered up into my shadowed face, there had been genuine curiosity and wonder in her usually-cold eyes.

I rubbed my hands over my face, weary from reliving those few moments over and over. I was an elite mercenary, working for the Magic Council. I didn't get confused over one woman, even one as beautiful as the one called Titania. Thankfully, at just that moment, I felt the hand-held lacrima screen vibrate in my pocket. I dug it out and swiped the message onto the screen. My eyes swiftly roved over the words printed on its crystalline surface, and then widened as I slowly reread the message.

_Jellal Fernandes, we, the Council of Magic, have a new order for you. There has been a change in the mission details. You are to eliminate not just the black mage calling himself the Ringmaster, but the entire crew of performers._ _Please do so before the end of the week. We will be sending a backup squad to assist you, so do not fail us. _

I didn't know what to do. An order from the Council was absolute. I was just their pawn, sent to do their dirty work. I didn't question my orders. Which meant…I was going to have to kill her.

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**Ooh, they both have to kill each other! Who will succeed? Will either of them succeed? Or will they ****_both_**** succeed? ;) Only time will tell. And unfortunately, that time is another week. T.T At least this time I will be able to have my phone with me, so I will be able to see your lovely reviews, even if I can't respond to them! :D I will try my best to respond as well, though! So, leave me plenty of reviews, people! I want to know what you guys think! And don't forget to favorite and follow, minna! ;) **

**What do you guys think of the most recent chapter of the manga?! :O I cried! T.T She had better not be dead for good! Wahhhhhh! Hiro-dono, doshite? D: It was beautiful, but so sad! **


	6. Chapter 6 - Reminiscence & Determination

A/N: First of all, I have to apologize for how long it's been since I updated! Gomenasai, minna! T.T It's just...it's just...I've become obsessed with Bleach! :D Yes, folks, it's true. I randomly decided one day that I wanted to watch it, and the rest is history. :3 In fact, I would strongly urge you all to go watch it, if you haven't already! It's fan-freaking-tastic! :O And it has a similar spirit about it to Fairy Tail. ;) So do yourselves a favor and go check it out! Once you're done reading this chapter, of course. ;D

Oh, and in case you actually listen to the music that I recommend, there's a song that I've been using lately for inspiration for this story... It's called "Derangement" by the GazettE. :3 Good song, good song. It really fits the mood! You guys should give it a listen. :3

Ah! I almost forgot! I drew a picture of Erza's circus outfit from the first night and put it on my DeviantART account! :) If you guys want to go check it out, I have a link to my account on my FanFiction profile. :) I'll probably end up drawing more of her outfits (because I'm weird that way), so stay tuned. :3

Now, I have to thank **dancingteddy, romance123lover, Ein011, Arcobaleno-lover, Shonnyterra, Lou.D, Heartlessful, Rainbows-and-Rainclouds **and **Lightmoon54** for reviewing over the course of my long absence! O.O Arigato-gozaimasu! *bows* Also, thank you to **chestli, Alice Stein, AshNa 6, AnimatedHeadbanger, Dementra, , Zyclonic** **God** and** addymummy **for favoriting and/or following!

I also have some additional comments to make about my schedule, but those can wait until after the chapter. I'll let you guys get on to that, but don't forget to read the note at the end of the chapter! :) Thanks, guys!

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**Chapter Six – Reminiscence and Determination**  
"Sympathizers with a similar pain." ~the GazettE, The Suicide Circus

As I returned to my tent, I couldn't stop reflecting on the task laid before me. _Kill the cloaked man, eh? And just how am I supposed to do that? No,_ I thought suddenly to myself, clenching my fists as a fierce glow entered my eyes. _I can't think that way. I _will_ succeed in my mission. _

"What's got you so down, Er-chan?"

I looked up and met Lucy's warm brown eyes, peering up at me with concern from the moment I'd entered the tent. I allowed the flap to swing closed behind me as I took a step further into the tent. The only light that illuminated the space was a single lamp hanging from the top of the tent.

A sigh escaped me as I sank down beside Lucy, who was reclining on her thin pallet. Her legs were wrapped up in bandages, but they were already looking much less swollen. The healer was scheduled to stop by one more time this evening, so I reckoned that Lucy would be good to go by tomorrow. It made me strangely relieved, even more so than I would usually be. I couldn't quite explain it, but I felt that it was critical that Lucy be healed as soon as possible. Driven by this feeling, I drew a deep breath and spat it out before I could think better of confessing everything to her.

Lucy watched me solemnly the whole time, nodding her head to show that she was still with me. I told her everything that had happened with the cloaked man, and when I got to the part about him saving me last night, she nudged my arm with a sly grin.

"Ne, Erza, why do you suppose that is?" she asked with a significant look.

I shot her a stern look, forcing myself not to take her seriously. "Lucy, don't go spinning fantasies where there are none," I chided.

"I didn't say anything of the sort," she defended teasingly, throwing her hands innocently up into the air. "I merely asked why he would do such a thing."

I sighed again, laying back on my side and propping myself up on my elbow as I looked up at Lucy. "I don't know," I confessed glumly. That was still a mystery that bothered me, and I intended to find out why before killing him. _Before killing him…._

"Then how do you know that he doesn't—"

"He doesn't," I said firmly. Lucy pouted, and I raked a hand through my messy hair. "Besides," I muttered, "it wouldn't matter anyways."

Hearing my bitter tone, Lucy leaned closer and lightly touched my shoulder in concern. "Erza? What aren't you telling me?"

I bit my lip, trying to gauge how Lucy would react if I told her the truth. In the end, I decided that I should just tell her anyways. "Lucy," I said carefully, thinking through each word before saying it, "during today's meeting…Laxus gave me an assignment."

"An assignment?" She tilted her head to the side, her brow drawing together in confusion. I didn't say anything, my silence speaking for me. "Oh," Lucy said, understanding filling her face. "_Oh_," she said again, this time with heavy meaning behind it. "Why?" she asked hesitantly. "Was it because of…the room?"

I nodded, my eyes darkening. "They decided that he is too dangerous to be left alone." I couldn't hide the bitter note that crept into my voice.

"Oh Erza, I'm so sor—"

"Don't apologize," I cut her off harshly, looking away. "He's nothing to me. Nothing but another assignment."

Lucy was silent for a moment. "Do you really believe that?" she finally asked, her voice quiet.

I looked back over at her, and our eyes connected with an understanding between us. "No," I muttered, my voice suspiciously raw. And then it all came rushing out. "I can understand that he's dangerous and all, and maybe he does need to be eliminated, but I just can't _feel_ it. I don't _want_ to kill him. I believe that there's a reason why he keeps coming back, and I don't care if it's bad or not; I want to know!" By the end, my breath was coming in heavy pants, as if I'd just run a marathon.

Lucy didn't say anything. She merely wrapped her arms around me and pulled me to her chest, rocking gently back and forth. After several minutes, I did begin to feel better about it. The muscles in my body began to relax, and my eyes slipped closed. "I know you'll do the right thing," Lucy murmured.

I opened my eyes, a weight descending on me again. "The right thing, huh?" I muttered under my breath. Then, in a voice so low I could barely hear it myself, "What if I can't tell right from wrong anymore?"

"Don't say that," Lucy said firmly. "That may have been part of his goal, but if you look for it, it's still there. No matter how bad it gets, he can never rob us of our sense of justice." Her voice was fierce and passionate, and I could tell that she genuinely believed it.

"I don't know, Luce," I admitted. "Sometimes, I can't tell the difference anymore. It's like all that exists is death, and there's no right or wrong about it." My voice echoed hollowly in my ears, and I felt something wet land on my cheek. Frowning, I lifted my finger and wiped away a tear. Another trickled down behind it, and I dashed it away angrily. I couldn't remember the last time I'd cried. I hadn't cried for many years; tears belonged in a time that we'd all struggled to leave behind.

I'd cried a lot after I'd first come to the Suicide Circus eleven years ago. As an eight-year-old child, I hadn't understood what was going on when the strange people showed up at my house one night and took me away from my family. The whole town was in chaos, the night sky lit by countless fires burning in the streets. People were screaming and running around, trying to flee to safety with their families. Some had made it. Some hadn't. And some…had been taken by the mysterious people wearing masks. Natsu, I later discovered, had been taken from my village that night as well. We'd become friends after that and banded together, somehow feeling a little closer to home in each other's presence.

Upon my arrival at the circus, I was thrust into a tiny cage, in a room along with numerous other children in cages. We were all scared and dirty, our tiny bodies shaking against the cold metal bars. And we had remained in that state for almost a full day, until a tall man with jet black hair and cold black eyes had entered the room. He was dressed in a long black coat and pants, the collar of a white dress shirt peaking up over his buttoned coat. And he had introduced himself as the Ringmaster.

"I am your new Master, my children," he had told us, his voice like a knife in my heart. "You will do everything that I instruct you to do, through my assistant." A woman with long black hair that looked almost purple appeared at his side, clad in a form-fitting white body suit with a black belt, black knee-high boots and gray gauntlets. "She will pass my orders along to you, and will also carry out any punishment I see fit to dole out."

I couldn't remember much about the woman, because she had vanished several years later, only to be replaced by Laxus. The only thing that I really remembered of the woman was the curve of her wine red lips in a smile, just before the pain would come. In a way, she had been more frightening than the unseen Ringmaster. Until the day that he suddenly reappeared.

I still remembered that day. We all did. It was why we never fought back against the Ringmaster.

It happened on a day not long after my arrival. Only about a half of the people who currently worked in the circus were there yet, myself and Natsu among them. It had started out as just another ordinary day—preparations, cleaning up, etc. But it had ended with disaster. A group of older performers had been scheming to escape the circus, but I had been too afraid to join them. Not willing to leave me, Natsu had agreed to stay behind with me. It wasn't until that particular day that we realized how fortunate a thing that had been. The group of six had decided to bail in the wee hours of the morning, right when everyone was retreating to their tents. The daytime watchers hadn't yet arrived, so it was to be the perfect window. By the time afternoon rolled around and no one had seen them yet, we had all assumed that they had successfully escaped. I had begun to regret not joining them. But then, as if on cue, we had all been summoned to the main tent. Not knowing what was going on, we had all come quickly. I would never forget the sinking feeling in my stomach when I entered the tent and saw the group of escapees standing in a line across the stage.

_*Flashback*_

We were all instructed to take a seat in front, and all I could see were the pale, terrified faces of the captured performers. It was then that a deep, rumbling voice was heard echoing around the tent.

"I'm sure you are all wondering why you are gathered here today," the voice said. My eyes widened in terror as the shadowy Ringmaster stepped onto the stage, his eyes glowing bloody red. "Be at ease; your anticipation shall shortly be put to rest." He then proceeded to take the center of the stage, pacing in front of the six damned souls. "Let this be a warning to you all," he shouted, his voice ringing clearly through the spacious tent, "not to defy me! Bad Things happen to those who go so blatantly against me." Turning to the quivering performers, he said bluntly, "Because of your grossly insolent actions, you shall all be punished. But first, I want you to understand something. I want you all to understand something," he cried, turning to address everyone. "This is what happens if you try to escape or act against me!"

Three men mounted the stage, each carrying a large sack. We all watched in wary trepidation as the men came to a stop beside the Ringmaster. Opening the bags, they all reached inside.

…And pulled out a head.

One of the boys on the stage fainted, and another began to scream hysterically. "Mom! _Mom!_ You monster! You will pay for this!"

The Ringmaster turned to look at the boy who had cried out. His puffy brown eyes were wild with pain and hatred as he glared viciously at the Ringmaster. The black-haired man took a step closer to the boy and grabbed him by his light blue hair. "I'm afraid ghosts don't have much of an impact on me, boy," he said quietly. His tone was low and dangerous, and the look of alarm that flashed in the boy's eyes said that he suddenly understood the situation he was in. "You'll be with your precious family soon enough." He then released the boy and spun around to face the rest of us again. He gestured to the three men with the bag, and we all prepared for the worst.

They reached in and pulled out more heads, all crusted with blood. Their faces were twisted in grotesque masks of agony and fear, letting me know that they hadn't been dead when their heads had been severed. I felt sick to my stomach at the sight of them. Unfortunately, it didn't stop there; the men onstage tossed the heads out into the audience, and all around me performers jumped to their feet and began screaming. I continued to sit there, numb and chilled as the heads struck down with dull _whumps_. I heard the shrieks and sobs as others were hit by the bloody projectiles, but was unable to move. One of the heads flew at me then, but I could only sit and stare as it drew closer.

"Watch out!" Someone pushed me out of the way just in time, and I looked up to see the pale, sweaty face of my friend, Natsu. Unable to think clearly, I just laid there on my side, staring straight into the sightless eyes of the severed head. The bulging eyes seemed to be glaring accusingly into my soul, and blood was caked around the ragged flesh at the base of the neck. _So they were ripped off, not cut off,_ I thought numbly to myself. "Erza, get up," Natsu cried hoarsely, trying to pull me to my feet. _Is that a bit of bone sticking out?_ "Erza, please," Natsu continued to beg, tugging on my limp arm. _I wonder if the tongue is still attached…._ Finally, Natsu dragged me upright by force, propping me against the chair I'd formerly occupied. "Snap out of it, Scarlet!" The sudden stinging in my cheek jolted me back into reality, and I brought my hand up to cup my tender cheek. Natsu looked in shock at his hand as he realized what he had just done. "Oh, Erza, I'm so sorry—"

"Thank you, Natsu," I whispered. "I'm alright now."

I looked up at the stage, feeling a little queasy. At least the heads had stopped flying. However, the Ringmaster was not done. While I had been on the ground, he had opened up a hole in the stage. A creaky old trapdoor stood upright, exposing the black cavern down below. Foreboding filled me as I saw him gesture for the boys to move closer. I'd had no idea that there was a secret hole beneath the stage, and I wondered what could be inside it.

"For those of you who are wondering," the Ringmaster called out in a theatrical voice, "these boys are about to be pushed into the lair of a special friend of mine. She hasn't had a snack in a while, so I'd imagine that she's pretty hungry. If you listen hard enough, you might even be able to hear their screams once they're in! That is, if the fall doesn't kill them. It is a pretty long drop," he mused, tapping his chin with his index finger. "Oh well, I guess there's only one way to find out." And with that, he produced a long staff and prodded the first boy in the back. Unable to stop his body's momentum, the boy tumbled into the abyss, screaming until his voice faded away. I couldn't tell if it was because he'd hit the bottom or if he'd just fallen too far for us to hear him anymore. Amidst the screams of the other boys as they were pushed in, the sobs of the other performers in the audience and the pungent scent of vomit, I suddenly felt a tug on my mind. Unable to fight against it, I felt my head turning until I was looking directly at the Ringmaster. A chill shot through me as I noticed his glowing red eyes boring into mine.

"Let this serve as a lesson to you all," he reiterated in a dangerous tone, "not to defy me."

_*End flashback*_

"Remembering?" Lucy asked quietly.

I opened my eyes and looked up into her warm brown eyes. "Mm," I murmured in assent. "Remembering why I can't go against the Ringmaster." Lucy hadn't been there when that gruesome spectacle had taken place, but she'd heard about it enough times to guess that that was the moment I was remembering. Instead of trying to give me advice, she simply held me, letting me know that she was there for me. It was a great comfort, especially now that my oldest friend was walking a different path.

A sigh slipped past my lips as I realized what I had to do. _So there truly is no avoiding it…not if I want my family to be safe. Assuming they're still alive. _Shaking the sinister thought from my mind, I decided to put the matter to rest for the day and catch up on my sleep.

When the next morning rolled around without any sightings of the cloaked man, I didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed. On the one hand, it was one more day that he would get to stay in the world of the living. On the other, it was one more day for me to lose my resolve. To distract myself from my dark musings, I spent the day resting and honing my skills.

Towards evening, Lucy was up and able to walk again. She came and found me in one of the training yards, practicing with my sword. For the better part of an hour, she just sat and watched me, not saying a word. Finally, when I had worked up a sweat and my breathing was ragged, I dispersed my sword and went to join Lucy.

"You're working hard," Lucy observed in that quiet way of hers. I rubbed my hand across my face, slicking some of the sweat from my skin. Lucy thoughtfully handed me a towel, and I gratefully accepted it.

"I have no choice." We sat in silence for a moment, simply enjoying each other's company. After a moment, I noticed that someone was watching us. Turning my head ever so slightly to the side, I flicked my eyes behind me and saw the muscle-bound form of the Ringmaster's assistant. Laxus stood impassively just outside the enclosure, his arms crossed over his chest. After another moment, he finally nodded to himself and walked away.

My fists clenched automatically as I faced forward again. "Laxus is making sure that I'm taking this task seriously," I observed stonily. "How long has he been there?" The last part was more directed at myself, but Lucy answered anyways, looking straight in front of her.

"About ten minutes."

I nodded to myself, content to know that he hadn't been there for the whole time, at least. _I hope he likes what he saw._

"Erza!" Lucy suddenly gasped. "Look at the time! We have to be getting ready."

I swore when I looked up at the sky. The circus would be opening in a little less than an hour, and we still had to get suited up, so to speak. "Damn. Let's go."

Forty minutes later, I was washed up and just finishing up with my makeup application. Tonight's outfit was a pair of black leather mini shorts, a black-and-silver sleeveless corset, and black leather boots with small heels. Flashy, but easy to move around in, should I need to fight in it. After checking my appearance one final time in the mirror, I left the prep tent and headed out to my first station.

Tonight I was to do my main show in the big tent first, and then spend the rest of my night divided between the Funhouse and the carnival rides. It was a schedule that worked well for my purposes, since the cloaked man typically showed up later on. That way, I hopefully wouldn't be interrupted in the middle of my performance.

All throughout my performance, I was nervous that he would show up earlier than expected. I kept reminding myself to calm down, since I still didn't know if he would show up at all that night. As I threw a knife at the spinning canvas covering Lucy and Cana, a thought suddenly occurred to me. I'd recently been wondering what I would do if he didn't come back at all, but now I had a new realization to accompany that thought. If he didn't come back, I wouldn't have to kill him. It wasn't like I could track down where he lived. Bolstered by this thought, I continued through my routine with new gusto.

However, as is prone to happen, just when I began to relax, I felt a chill creep over me. I turned to face the audience with a bright smile, sweeping a bow to them. Using that as an opportunity to scan the crowd, I allowed my eyes to dart through all the shadows until I found my target. Sure enough, I felt a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach as I spotted the familiar form of the man in the black cloak.

_Well, it looks like my show's over. Or has it only just begun?_

* * *

**Thank you to everyone who bothers to read this story! :D I love you guys! *cyber hug* So now you know a little more about the Ringmaster. You can probably guess who he is by now, but if you can't, then just know that his character in my story is wayyy different from his character in the anime. :) He's much less theatrical in the anime! And even though I've already mentioned this in one of the earlier chapters, I'll go ahead and re-explain why they kill people in this circus. It's because the Ringmaster has death magic (ring any bells?), so, much like Natsu, he feeds off of death to fuel his powers. And because he needs an enormous amount of death to sate his hunger, he enslaved the performers into helping his cause by kidnapping them and threatening to kill their families if they disobey him (as we learned in this chapter). I hope that helps to clear things up! :) **

**And now, finally, the important comment that I mentioned at the top...I will be leaving yet again for a multi-week camp. :( I will be gone from this Thursday, the 11th, to Saturday the 27th. I will miss you all! T.T And so, as you probably figured by now, that means that I will be unable to update in that time. :'( That's why I finally got my butt in gear and wrote this chapter! :3 I hope you guys aren't too mad at me... O.O But no worries, you can fill the absence of my story with Bleach! XD Watch it, my children, watch it! :D It was such a sacrifice to pull myself away from it long enough to write this chapter...it took me six hours, guys, SIX HOURS! T.T **

**However, there is a bit of good news to be had from this: the camp I'm going to is a Japanese camp! XD I will be learning the language and culture, and I'm so freaking excited! Heh, I guess that's really only good news for me. ;) Sorry guys. But any good news is better than none, right? **

**Anyways, I'm so sorry for this ridiculously long A/N. O.o I will try to keep them shorter in the future. So, don't forget to review, favorite and follow! :D Ja ne! Minna daisuki! :)**


	7. Chapter 7 - The Pit

A/N: Hey guys, remember me? Probably not, since I haven't updated in so long, but here I am! I had the BEST time of my entire life at Japan camp, and I got hooked on so many new animes, so those have been occupying all of my free time. :3 But I am so sorry that it took me so long to get around to updating. T.T Gomenasai, please forgive me, everyone! I kept meaning to, but I just kept getting distracted (by anime), or I never felt like writing. :( Anyways, I'm back, and hopefully I'll update more frequently now! Even though school has started again, so I have a ton of homework. D':

A billion thanks to the following people for reviewing last time: **Shonnyterra, Rainbows-and-Rainclouds, Heartlessful, dancingteddy, coolkidseatpie** (I love you too, my friend, and your review made my day!)**, i am a boss **(I believe I already mentioned that there will be no lemon in this story...)**, Lightmoon54, NekoMataDemon, ScarletAnastasia, GingerificFabulousTime **and** tangledcharm. **You guys all made me so happy! ^.^ Many additional thanks to **AnimatedHeadbanger, mcFinnian, DIM-Everlasting Gaze, DarknessPwns0.o, ilosse, Juvia Loxar, Mezuri, Spottedjellyfish, lilabbie95** and** xNightDreamerx **for favoriting and/or following!

Thank you all for your patience, and your constant support is what finally gave me the push I needed to sit down and chug this one out. :3 So I hope you all enjoy this chapter! :O

* * *

**Chapter Seven – The Pit**  
"Heartless day…Bottom of the abyss." ~the GazettE, "The Suicide Circus"

The air seemed unusually cold as I silently made my way out of the tent. A string of curses echoed through my mind as I looked around, squinting through the darkness.

I'd had to quickly wrap up my performance when I'd seen the cloaked man slipping back out into the night, leaving the cleanup of the stage to Lucy and Cana. Thankfully, I'd been at the end of my routine anyways.

Still, I silently cursed at the man for showing up so soon. _Hopefully he hasn't gone too far…tracking has never been my forte. _I clenched my fists as I slinked through the night, my eyes darting into every darkened crevice to search him out. _Where could he have gone?_

Just as my frustration was reaching a peak, my eyes snagged on a slight movement in the shadows behind a red-and-white striped tent on my left. I stopped in my tracks as my eyes narrowed in concentration. Sure enough, I was able to discern a familiar black cloak disappearing into the night. Determined not to lose sight of him again, I took off after him, slowing only once I reached the spot in which he'd disappeared. Looking around, I finally caught sight of him slipping behind another tent. My boots slapped against the cold ground as I jogged after him yet again.

For ten minutes, we continued in this manner. I would catch a glimpse of him disappearing around a corner, and every time I caught up to where I'd seen him last, he would already be disappearing farther up ahead. _How does he move so fast?_ I thought irritably, growing winded from constantly jogging in my attempts to keep up. If I hadn't been resolved beforehand, I certainly was now. I was now ready to kill him simply so he would stay put.

Finally, as I jogged past the last row of tents, there was nothing but open darkness before me. A ring of torches was set up around the perimeter of the circus, and I stopped in the circle of light beneath one as I paused to get my bearings. The wind whistled eerily through the tall, dead grass, causing the flames in the torch to flicker and then go out. Goosebumps rose on my bare skin as I looked around uneasily. I could spot no movement besides the rustling grass, and I wondered where the man could have gone.

A chill went down my spine as I felt the hairs on the back of my neck rise. My senses went on high alert as I peered even closer at the darkness before me. Suddenly, a dark figure materialized out of the night, the moonlight reflecting softly off of the black hood covering his head. Ghostly tendrils of mist swirled around his still form, and I took several slow, halting steps forward, my gaze fixed on him lest he disappear again. After a moment, seeing that he was still standing still, I began to walk swiftly towards him, my feet crunching through the dried stalks of grass.

As the distance between us rapidly dwindled, I felt the familiar tingling in my palms as my swords eagerly awaited their release. My heart was pounding faster with every step, every nerve in my body on fire with adrenaline. With less than five meters to go, I summoned my sword. Its silver blade glowed in the pale moonlight, showing off its wicked edges.

My blood was rushing in my ears as I came to a stop in front of him, holding my sword aloft. Its sharp tip pressed against his throat, swallowed up by the shadows in his hood. I could still see nothing of his face, so I had no idea what emotion—if any—was displayed on his face. _Why doesn't he make a move to defend himself?_

"Are you going to kill me?" His voice was low and deep, sliding against my skin like velvet.

A shiver traveled through my body as I realized that this was the first time I'd heard his voice. It was…really nice.

I mentally slapped myself as I realized what I was thinking. _This is _not _the time to be making that kind of observation!_

Readjusting my grip on the hilt of my sword, I schooled my face into a steely mask. "Yes." My voice was cold and unwavering.

Neither of us made a move. My blade continued to press lightly against his throat, ready to press deeper if he made a move. However, he remained perfectly still, his cloak blowing silently in the breeze.

After a moment, I asked, "Why do you keep coming to this circus?" My voice was still hard, but I could hear the hint of genuine curiosity that leaked through.

"Why do you keep working at this circus?" he shot back, his voice soft.

My gaze hardened. _We are not playing this game._ "That," I said icily, "is none of your business."

"Then kill me."

My eyes widened in shock. That was not the response I'd been expecting. I blinked to make sure I wasn't imagining things.

"I've seen how easily you kill. You don't hesitate to take lives—a true predator. So why are you hesitating now?"

Fire spread through my veins as I bristled. Before I could think better of it, I flicked my sword up, pushing his hood off of his head in one swift move. A shock of ragged, dark blue hair was revealed, framing a stunningly handsome face with golden eyes. A strange red tattoo extended above and below his right eye, partially obscured by his hair. My lips parted slightly in shock as I drank in his appearance. He was nothing like what I'd pictured, from the few times that I'd actually indulged in imagining.

Realizing that I was staring, I closed my mouth firmly and withdrew my blade. "A life for a life," I said stonily. "Now we're even." I turned to begin walking away, but before I'd even taken a step, I stopped. Without even fully realizing what I was doing, I glanced back over my shoulder. "They're planning on killing you, you know. The other performers. I was assigned to kill you this time, but I've decided to leave you with a warning instead: Leave, and never come back. If you ever show up again, they'll kill you for sure, and it won't be nearly as fast as I would have made it. You're too much of a threat to let live."

"I know. I've been waiting for you to try to kill me."

I turned around in shock, my wide eyes locking on his calm expression. "You've…known that it's been coming? Then why do you keep coming back?"

"Because," he said, taking a step closer to me, "I have my own mission to complete." Before I could process what he meant by that, he took another step closer and leaned in to whisper, "So I thank you for your warning, but I cannot leave just yet." His breath fanned across my cheek, causing even more goosebumps to show up. Slowly, he straightened again, though he didn't take another step back.

Frustration rose up within me as I looked up at him. "They will kill you if you don't leave," I said more forcefully. Why couldn't he understand that?

"What is your name?" he murmured.

I blinked in stunned silence, caught off guard by his abrupt question. "E-Erza Scarlet."

"Erza…" he murmured to himself. "You must leave this circus tonight if you don't want to die."

My eyes narrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"

He took a step back, a shadow falling over his face. "My name is Jellal Fernandes, and I am a mercenary for the Council of Magic. I've been keeping tabs on this circus for a while now. And I have orders to wipe out this entire circus by the end of the week. My backup has already arrived and is awaiting my orders. I will be commencing the destruction of this circus before dawn."

I felt my world careening to a halt around me. _A mercenary…for the Council of Magic. He must be incredibly powerful to have been given such a position. And to be placed in charge of this mission…._

_I have to warn my friends!_

Staggering back a step, I gasped through numb lips, "My friends!" And then I turned and ran back towards the circus. I could feel his gaze boring into my back the whole way.

I swiftly wove my way through the shadows between tents, my gaze frantically searching out the main tent, where Lucy would most likely still be located. Who knew how long we had before he attacked? A burning sense of urgency drove me forward tirelessly.

It seemed like an eternity before I finally arrived at the back entrance to the main tent. By then, my breath was coming in short pants. I pushed my way through the flap, looking around tensely for Lucy and Cana. After a moment, I spotted Lucy's familiar blonde hair off to the right, standing by the back stage curtain. I hastily made my way over, focused only on telling her of the danger so that we could escape.

"Lucy!" I said breathlessly, clasping her shoulder urgently. She turned around, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Erza! What are you doing here? Have you already…?"

"No. Listen, I have something to t—"

"I assume the reason you're back is because you have already completed your duty, Scarlet?"

My eyes slipped closed in defeat as I slowly turned to face Laxus. When I opened them, I saw the large man standing before me, his muscular arms crossed menacingly over his chest as he looked down at me with his customary scowl.

"Laxus," I began, praying that I could find a way out of this. "I have some urgent news. While I was unable to complete the task, I was able to find out some bad news. This man is more dangerous than we thought; he's a mercenary for the Council of Magic, and he has an army ready to destroy this circus!"

I heard Lucy gasp behind me. "Really? We have to stop them!"

I watched Laxus tensely, watching for the slightest hint of his thoughts. Finally, after several painful moments, he opened his mouth, but not to say the words I was hoping to hear. "Erza Scarlet, you have allowed a dangerous criminal to escape, despite your assurances that you were up to completing this mission."

"Yes, but—"

"Furthermore, you somehow managed to come back without a scratch, but carrying this significant piece of information. Explain to me how this is possible."

My face drained of color as I realized what he was getting at. He knew that I had spoken with the cloaked man—Jellal. It would be useless to try to refute it, and he knew that I knew. And he had already decided my fate.

"Warren," Laxus called behind him, "clear the tent and assemble all of the performers. The Ringmaster has something he'd like to show everyone."

"No!" Lucy cried, dashing in front of me with her arms flung out like a barrier between Laxus and me. "You can't kill Erza! She didn't mean—"

"Lucy," I snapped, jerking her out of the way. "Stand down. Do as you're told." My eyes were wide and crazy with my need to protect Lucy, praying that she hadn't already attracted Laxus's wrath. It was too late for me, but I'd be damned if I let anything happen to my best friend. Watching her wide, teary gaze did nothing to help my nerves though. I was shaking with fear, doing my best to keep on a brave face for Lucy.

Laxus grunted and grabbed my arms from behind, dragging me toward the steps that led up to the stage. I made no struggle until he pushed through the thick velvet curtains, the bright stage lights blinding my eyes. Squinting while I waited for my eyes to adjust, I peered around tensely, praying that the Ringmaster hadn't yet arrived. The last of the audience members were just filing out of the tent, ushered hastily by several performers. Already, several others were starting to trickle in as Warren's message reached them. Seeing that the Ringmaster wasn't there yet, I summoned my strength and desperately jerked to the side in an attempt to free myself from Laxus's grasp.

I managed to break his hold long enough to take two short leaps forward, but before I could move any farther, he seized me from behind again. A cry of pain and fear tore from my throat as I was thrust down onto the stage, his thick-soled boots coming down on my ankles. A terrible cracking sound rose up from my right ankle, followed by a searing pain that shot up my entire leg. I bit my lip to keep from crying out again, tasting blood in my mouth as I quietly laid there in my pain.

A heavy silence suddenly descended on the tent, despite the steady number of performers still flowing in. Lifting my head to see what was happening, I felt my blood run cold. A familiar black coat swirled around the tall figure of the Ringmaster, his jet black hair standing up in every direction. Twin pools of garnet peered down at me from his eyes, cold and emotionless.

_Oh shit._

"Erza Scarlet," he began slowly, carefully enunciating my name as if to make sure that everyone heard clearly what was being said. "I was rather hoping that I would never have to see you in this position. You were, after all, one of the more promising specimens. However, my rules bend for no one, and you have clearly broken one of the most severe rules: Consorting with the enemy. Do you deny it?"

I got my arms beneath me and slowly pushed myself to my knees, glaring defiantly up at him even as sweat ran down my brow from fear. "I only had the circus's best interests in mind," I growled, carefully keeping my weight off of my right ankle.

"Did you really?" he asked emotionlessly, his face shrouded in shadow. "Did you think at all about the consequences of openly defying me?"

I couldn't even bring myself to answer him again; I was shaking too badly with fear and rage.

"I'd hoped that I wouldn't have to make such a demonstration again, but she has left me with no choice," the Ringmaster shouted to the assembled performers. "Now, you must all watch as she faces the consequences of her actions."

I felt a pair of hands roughly pick me up off the stage and throw me through the air to land in a heap at the Ringmaster's feet. He planted a foot on the side of my head, signifying his power over me. And then he drew his foot back and drove it into my back. I gasped as shooting pain traveled up my spine and all of the air was forced from my lungs. Another kick landed in the same spot before I could recover, sending me into the fetal position as I tried to make my body as small of a target as I could. I could dimly hear screaming coming from the section where the audience sat, and I looked up to spot Elfman holding Lucy back as she shouted and struggled to rush toward me.

A kick to the back of my head sent black spots scuffling across my vision, and I tasted blood in the back of my throat. Before I could recover, he reached down and grabbed me by my hair to yank me up. I gasped and tears stung my eyes as the Ringmaster brought me up to eyelevel, my scalp feeling like it was peeling off. I just had time to meet his cold red gaze before his fist came up and connected with my jaw. Without loosening his hold on my hair, he continued to punch my face and stomach, until I was coughing up blood and my eyesight had grown dim.

Dull, throbbing pain filled every corner of my body, and it was all I could do to keep my eyes open. I desperately wished I could summon my swords to get me out of this mess, but I knew that they would be of no use to me now. Nothing could help me.

I weakly turned my head to look out at the other performers. Some wore expressions of horror and sympathy, others boredom or excitement, and still others fear. Once again, my eyes sought out the familiar face of my best friend. Tears were streaming down her pale face as she reached helplessly towards me, her desperate fingers grasping at empty air. A sick feeling rose in my stomach as I imagined the pain she must be feeling.

A little ways to her left and behind her, my eyes flickered to another familiar face. Natsu was standing still, a shocked expression frozen on his face. His eyes were wide and disbelieving, horror showing plainly in his gaze. Slowly, as if in a trance, he shook his head back and forth and staggered forward, his mouth silently shaping words that I would never hear. Regret for how we had ended flowed through me, but I turned my head away from my friends and former colleagues to face the eyes of my murderer.

Blood dripped thickly from my lips and various cuts on my face as I labored to suck air into my throbbing lungs. Still, the Ringmaster held me up by my hair so that my toes were only barely brushing the stage. Through my swollen eyes, I watched him nod to Laxus, who was standing by off to the side. Without warning, the floor suddenly dropped out from under me. I screamed, making my raw throat burn. _Oh gosh no, not the pit…._

"Can you still say that you don't regret your actions?" the Ringmaster whispered into my ear. I didn't have the strength to move anymore, so I could do nothing but clench my bruised jaw and glare at him.

"You…will die," I hissed, spitting blood onto his jacket.

Murderous rage glowed in his bloody eyes. "No. It is you who will die."

And with that, he released my hair, letting me fall down, down, down into the yawning maw of the pit.

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**Muahahaha! Let me know what you think of this latest development in a review! :3 And by the way, I give you all permission to send me hate mail for taking so long to update. T.T Assuming that anyone even cares enough about this story to be put out about the wait... -.- Anyways. **

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**So yeah. :3 I would love it if you guys could review, favorite and follow! :D Thank you! **


	8. Chapter 8 - The Battle Begins

A/N: Wow, another update in September! XD This must be a good month, lol. Sorry guys, I'll try to do better with updating! The only reason I was able to get this one up right now is because I'm sick, so I have that kind of time. :3 At least, if this chapter sucks, I can blame it on the fever scrambling my brains, and the fact that it's after three in the morning. XD Be patient with me if I start to not make sense. O.O

Thank you sooooooo much to the following people for reviewing on the last chapter: **xNightDreamerx, Guest, ScarletAnastasia, 0-Girlycard-0, RubyDemonXoXo, GuregetaStroberi **(because you're a guest, I'll have to leave you a message on here - Oh my gosh yayyyy! XD Another SNK fan! OMFG you have no idea how much I love Levi. O.O It's insane. I can't wait for the second season!)**, NekoMataDemon, Rainbows-and-Rainclouds, Guest, pft980811, Lunarse, Lightmoon54, Dragon-fang18, imahappyperson **and **heart sunken**! :D I think this is the most reviews I've gotten on one of these chapters! Whoooo! Also, thank you to **Pika Yuhi-chan,** **Ezikio, Franny96, Ryarth** and** EtiSalat **for favoriting and/or following! Welcome on board! :D

Well, I'm too brain-dead to think of anything else to say. So, here ya guys go. :)

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**Chapter Eight –The Battle Begins**  
"I can't return anymore; I got too entangled in it." ~the GazettE, "The Suicide Circus"

_Jellal's POV_

As dawn began to stain the horizon, I strode briskly before the rows of men assembled in front of me. They stood with hard, determined faces. They were ready for battle.

"You are the elite of the elite," I said, gazing stoically into each man's eyes as I passed by. "This battle could unfold in many different ways, but I expect you to be successful in our mission, no matter what. That means we must kill everyone who opposes us. If anyone surrenders and agrees to be taken to the Council to await imprisonment or execution there, they are to be escorted back to our base and locked in a cell. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir!" they all cried at once, their solid voices falling flat in the early morning air. Fog hung thickly just above the ground, obscuring everything from my chest down. It was perfect for launching an attack, as it muffled all sounds.

"One more thing," I called, turning around at the end of the rows of men. "We are to assume that the Ringmaster is already aware of our attack, and are to expect a counter. Be prepared for anything."

They were too well-trained to voice their questions, but I could see the uneasy shifting on their feet. As long as we planned with a counterattack in mind, we would be prepared for anything the circus could throw at us.

_If only I didn't have to worry about finding her on the other end of one of my attacks…. _The thought sent a shiver down my spine, and I could only pray that she had heeded my advice and managed to escape before now.

Just as the thought crossed my mind, I sensed someone approaching our camp from behind. Judging by the vibrations running through the ground, they were moving at a pretty good pace. I tensed and turned around, gathering my magic to me until the palms of my hands began to glow. I wasn't expecting anyone, so I kept my guard up as I felt my men silently prepare themselves, as well.

When the wind parted the fog enough to reveal the figure's head, I caught a glimpse of blonde hair in a messy ponytail and wide, wild brown eyes.

"Stand down!" I shouted over my shoulder, nonetheless not letting my own magic go just yet. I recognized the woman running towards me as Erza Scarlet's friend, but I had no idea what her motives might be. As much as I tried to quell it, the first thought that came to mind was that something had happened to Erza.

A moment later, the blonde stumbled into our camp, nearly running straight into me. I grasped her upper arms to keep her upright as she staggered back in surprise. Now that she was closer, I could see that her face was pale and covered in a sheen of sweat; clearly, she had run a long way. Her arms were trembling beneath my palms, and she looked about ready to burst into tears. In fact, her eyes were already swollen and red, proving that she had already been crying.

"Thank goodness I found you!" she exclaimed in a high, quavering voice. "I've been looking all over for you, and almost got caught several times, but I knew I had to find you! Something terrible has happened! Oh please, you have to help me! You're the only one who can." When she finally stopped for breath, fresh tears were streaming down her pale cheeks and she was left gasping for air.

"Slow down," I commanded calmly. On the inside, though, I was tense and on high alert. For her to be this worked up, I was now convinced that it had to do with Erza. Especially if she had come all this way looking specifically for me…. "Now, tell me exactly what happened."

"It's Erza!" she cried, her voice breaking as sobs wracked her voluptuous body. From the moment I heard her name, I was ready for a fight, my blood beginning a slow boil in my veins. "She was…caught by the Ringmaster…and…and…." She trailed off as her words became unintelligible through her sobs. Feeling my patience wearing thin, with Erza's life most likely on the line, I grabbed the girl's shoulders and shook her roughly a few times.

"Pull yourself together," I snapped. She looked up at me in surprise, her brown eyes swimming with tears. I had to remind myself that we had an audience so that I wouldn't let my mounting feelings get out of control. Taking a deep breath, I continued in a softer voice. "What happened to Erza?"

In between hiccups, the blonde said, "Laxus and the Ringmaster b-beat her up a-and t-th-threw her into th-the p-pit."

My blood ran cold as I heard her words. I knew next to nothing about this pit, but anyone would have been able to read the gravity of this situation from the despair in the blonde's eyes. Leaning closer, I lowered my voice so that only she could hear my words. "Where is it?"

It took her a moment to register what I had said, but when she did, her eyes widened as a couple tears dripped from her eyelashes. "In the main tent." She was still distraught, but there was a glimmer of hope as she realized what I was going to do. "The Ringmaster will be there, too."

It was decided then. I released her and turned once more to face my men, who were still assembled patiently before me. "I apologize for this delay. Fullbuster," I called to my right-hand man, "come here."

The muscular young man with ragged black hair stepped up to me, saluting as he did. "Yessir!"

"I want you to escort this woman to the holding cell. It'll be safer for her there, where she can be out of the way of the fighting." My brisk tone barred no objections from the rest of the squad, and Gray Fullbuster nodded once before grabbing the blonde's arm firmly.

"What's your name?" he asked without looking at her, already dragging her off deeper into our campsite.

"Lucy. Lucy Heartfilia," she said, stumbling after him with her arm still in his grasp. Her voice was already stronger, now that she knew I would take care of the situation.

As their voices faded off into the distance, I couldn't help but wonder why she had gone to the trouble of tracking me down. _Why me? How could she possibly have known to come to me for help?_ Perhaps Erza had spoken of me. But that wouldn't have explained why Lucy knew I would help her. After all, I hadn't really done that much to suggest that that would be the case. Resolving to ask her after the battle, I faced towards the circus, the golden rays of the rising sun streaking across my face.

"Move out, men! I'll lead you to the circus, but then you're on your own. You know what to do."

"Captain?" one of the men questioned.

"I have something else to take care of." And with that, I began the forward advance.

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_Erza's POV_

My scream eventually choked off when I ran out of air, and then I was too lightheaded to draw air for another. All I could see in any direction was darkness. It was as though I had fallen into the night sky, only there were no stars. After what seemed like an eternity, I saw a small, feeble patch of light growing beneath me. As I drew closer to it, I could see that there was a single torch hanging in a sconce on the wall, its sickly yellow flames flickering in the stale air.

As my wits returned, I realized that, from this height, I would die upon impact. I quickly summoned two swords, one in each hand, and gripped them tightly as I brought them up on either side of my head. With all the strength I could muster, I slammed the blades hilt-deep into the rock wall closest to me. A pain-filled grunt escaped me as my shoulders were nearly ripped from their sockets by the sudden change in momentum. My muscles strained to keep me aloft by my swords as the blades slid a few inches through the rock before finally scraping to a halt. I took a moment to catch my breath, sweat stinging the myriad cuts all over my body. Then, carefully readjusting my grip on the swords' hilts, I turned to look down. The packed dirt floor of the pit was only six feet beneath my dangling legs. My heart raced even faster as I realized just how close I had come to becoming a smear of blood and guts on the ground.

After a moment, I released my hold on my swords and allowed myself to fall. The air was forced from my lungs as I landed roughly on my backside at the edge of the circle of light cast from the small torch. "Shit, this is going to hurt like hell in a moment," I hissed under my breath. Sure enough, as soon as I tried to move, a pillar of fire shot through my tailbone, making my whole butt go numb. _Fuuu—_

My thought was abruptly cut off when my hand brushed against something soft lying just outside of the torch's light. Fear of the unseen had me scurrying over to press my back against the wall, drawing in deep breaths in an attempt to calm myself. However, my nostrils were promptly filled with the stench of old blood and death, as well as something else I couldn't put my finger on, something foul. I immediately summoned my swords to me, relaxing into the feel of the cool metal pressing into my palms.

Once I'd calmed down again, I decided to grab the torch and have a look around. After all, the more I knew of my surroundings, the less afraid I would be.

However, no sooner had I moved to stand up than I realized that I couldn't put pressure on my right ankle. I sank to the ground again with a pained hiss through my teeth as I dropped my swords to clutch at the ankle. Through the sweat falling into my eyes and the flickering light of the torch overhead, I saw that it was starting to swell slightly. Gingerly, I reached out to touch it. It hurt like hell to press on it, but at least I was able to determine that it wasn't broken. _It's probably only cracked,_ I thought to myself as I recalled the cracking sound when Laxus had stepped on it. _Still, this will make it a lot harder to move around. If only I had something to brace it with._ Sadly, there wasn't enough material in my black leather mini shorts and corset for me to be able to use as a wrapping, so it looked like I was on my own. At least I was wearing boots, so they gave me more support for my ankle than I otherwise would have gotten.

Every inch of my body was throbbing from the beating I had received, but I was determined not to die down here. And so, gritting my teeth as huge beads of sweat and congealing blood rolled down my face, I slowly and painfully rose to my feet. I leaned heavily on one of my swords to do so, letting the other disappear back into my invisible arsenal. Once I had my feet under me—though considerably more weight was distributed to my left leg—I reached up and wrapped my fingers around the torch to remove it from the sconce. A terrible scraping noise rose up as I twisted it, making my ears ring as I finally tugged it free. The flame flickered and shuddered, casting grotesque shadows across the wall. For a moment, I feared it would go out, feeble as it was. However, after a moment, it swelled to its former size. I breathed a sigh of relief, wondering what I would have done if it had gone out.

_Why is there a flame burning down here, anyways? No one ever comes down here…shouldn't it have gone out long ago?_ The thought unnerved me for some reason, but I decided not to dwell on it. _Maybe it's an enchanted flame._ _I certainly hope so, or else I could be in serious trouble later. _

Focusing on more pressing matters, I took a hesitant step away from the wall. My ankle throbbed and burned, but other than that, I found that I could successfully put pressure on it without fear of it giving. And so, I slowly made my way forward, holding the torch out in front of me to cast its weak illumination on the ground ahead.

I hadn't gone more than five steps when the light spilled across a sight I wished I hadn't seen, even accustomed to death as I was. Laying there in a dusty heap were three sets of skeletons. Forcing myself to stand still, I examined them carefully. All of them had multiple broken bones, and the one on the bottom had a broken neck. They had most likely died on impact, or shortly thereafter. A couple of cockroaches scurried out of the crevices in the skulls and disappeared into the shadows, causing goosebumps to break out across my skin. One of the skeletons' arms was extended out, towards the wall where the torch had been, as if the person had been reaching for the light with their dying breath. How tragic that they had never reached it. All of the skeletons had scraps of clothes clinging to them; it was most likely one of these scraps that I had brushed against with my hand. In addition, some of the bones looked like they had been gnawed on by many pairs of little teeth. Now on the lookout for rats, I carefully made to skirt the pile of bones.

Looking down one last time, my gaze snagged on something lying on the ground by the skulls. I paused to hold the torch a little closer. My eyes widened when I recognized the tufts of pale blue hair, and immediately my thoughts returned to the day I had witnessed six boys being shoved into this very pit.

_That shade of blue…I've seen it before._ Images of a pretty girl with short blue hair of that color popped into my head, and my eyes widened as I made the connection. "Yukino…" I murmured to myself. This boy had been her brother. She hadn't been at the circus at the time that he had been killed, so I had to wonder if she had known of his death. _Maybe she was captured the day that the Ringmaster sent people to invade her village and kill their parents. _If that had been the case, I wondered if she had seen her mother killed before her eyes. I could still see the agonized look on her brother's face as he screamed at the Ringmaster for killing his mother, and the severed head that had born a look of such pain that it brought tears to my eyes. Poor Yukino had had more reason than anyone to hate the Ringmaster for what he had done to her family, and I now seemed to remember all of my encounters with her at once, searching for any hint of her feelings.

An image of her hanging from the wooden frame with the spikes through her sides came to my mind. The agonized expression on her pallid face as she slowly turned to face me to deliver her final message. _"You must…kill…him…. The…black…."_ At the time, I had thought her message to mean that I had to kill the man in the black cloak, Jellal. However, in light of this revelation, a new idea began to prickle at the back of my mind until it suddenly exploded in a burst of realization.

"The black wizard, Zeref," I whispered hoarsely to myself. _The black wizard, Zeref, who goes by a different name here: The Ringmaster._

Fresh sorrow over Yukino's end flooded over me as I realized what she had been trying to tell me. _Yes, I have to kill him. But how?_

I looked down to the pile of bones at my side in determination. I would find a way to escape this pit, and I would defeat the Ringmaster. I would do it for Yukino and her brother. I would do it for the others who had lost their lives at the hands of his cruelty. I would do it for my friends. I would do it for myself. _I promise._ _These six boys will be the last to die in this godforsaken pit._

_But there are only three skeletons here…._

No sooner had the thought crossed my mind than I felt the ground begin to vibrate beneath my feet. The flames flickered violently, and I feared they would go out for good this time. The heap of bones fell apart, clanking dully against each other as they fell. A skull bounced towards my feet, its jaws clacking against each other, and I leaped back to avoid being hit.

I felt my pulse beating wildly in my ears as I looked out into the darkness, struggling in vain to find the source of the vibrations. Suddenly, the Ringmaster's words from when he pushed the boys into the pit came back to me. _"These boys are about to be pushed into the lair of a special friend of mine. She hasn't had a snack in a while, so I'd imagine that she's pretty hungry."_ A foul stench, worse than anything I'd ever smelled before, suddenly crashed into mefrom straight ahead, nearly bringing me to my knees. Tears formed in my eyes as I held my breath, desperate to erase the stench from my nose. _Oh god…._ A deep, bone-shattering roar echoed out of the darkness, making every hair on my body stand up.

I turned and ran. I ran as fast as my legs would take me, my injured ankle sending daggers of pain lancing up my right leg with every step. But I couldn't stop. The rumbling of the ground only intensified, as did the oppressive odor. The weak light of the torch was only enough for me to see just far enough ahead to keep from running into walls, and I prayed that I wouldn't run into any surprises around the next corner. I appeared to be in some type of maze, and I felt like a cornered mouse every time I made a turn. I was just waiting for the beast to jump out at me, my palm sweating around my sword hilt.

The moment I'd been dreading finally arrived when I rounded the next corner and found myself facing a dead end. _Shit, shit, shit._ I knew it was only a matter of seconds before the unseen monster caught up with me, so I didn't have time to turn back and try to find a different route through the maze. Fighting was the only option. That being decided, I quickly looked around for the best vantage point from which to stage my battle. Of course, there is only ever one option if you want to win; you have to get to the high ground.

And so, pushing the pain in my ankle to the back of my mind, I charged the wall with all my might and leapt into the air. As soon as my chest hit the wall, I replaced my sword with a dagger and slammed it into the wall, between two chunks of stone. My feet scrambled at the wall for any clefts I could brace my feet against. Using the dagger for leverage, I heaved myself up with all my strength and grabbed onto the top of the wall with my fingertips. I reached my foot up to push against the dagger's hilt and finally, with one colossal push, managed to spring onto the top of the wall.

Not a second later, the most hideous creature I'd ever seen charged around the corner. It was about six feet from the ground to its hunched shoulders, but if it straightened up, I imagined it would be over ten feet tall, which would put it on the same level as the wall. It was black and covered in short, thin hair, which appeared to be stained with crusty brown blood in places. Both of its arms were long and bony, extending almost to the ground. Five long, skeletal fingers were attached to the ends of the arms, topped with five wickedly sharp-looking claws. Each claw was easily longer than my hand, and I felt a shudder wrack my body. Despite the creature's emaciated appearance—I could count each rib in the creature's side—it was packed with muscle and looked ready to tear me apart. Its face resembled a wolf's, with a long, narrow snout, but its teeth were far longer and sharper than any wolf's. It also had a long, whip-like tail, which thrashed madly about in the corridor behind it. Chunks of wall carved like butter where it passed, leaving long gashes in its wake. The claws on its legs dug into the earthen ground, as well.

Slowly, the creature looked up at me, its eyes glowing a bloody red. Drool dripped from its jaws as it seemed to spread its lips in a deadly grin. "I've got you," it seemed to be saying.

"We'll see about that," I muttered fiercely as it tensed and raised a long, skinny arm. In a movement almost too quick for me to follow, it swiped at the wall right beneath my feet. I barely had enough time to leap to the side, before the wall crumbled where I'd been standing just a moment before. I didn't even have time to catch my breath before it was charging me again, a feral gleam in its pupil-less eyes. This time, it aimed directly for me, and the tips of its claws scraped against my thigh as I jumped out of the way.

Hissing in pain and fury, I crouched on yet another part of the wall. My thigh was dripping scarlet droplets of blood, leaving bloody tracks down the side of my leg. _This would be so much easier if I didn't have to worry about holding up this stupid torch,_ I growled to myself. As if my thoughts were heard by some unseen power, an innumerable amount of torches suddenly sprang to life throughout the maze, throwing the whole cavern into illumination. I paused for a moment as my breath was taken away by the sheer enormity of the room. Even with all the torches, I could barely see to the far end of the cavern. And the entire room was one giant maze. Directly in the center of the ceiling, I noticed a small opening; the trapdoor connected to the stage. If that was the only way out, there was no way I was making it up there while this beast still lived.

As if to remind me of its presence, the creature took another swing at me, drawing me back to the problem at hand—defeating this monster. I once again dodged the blow, but this time, the monster lunged for me with its jaws open. I grunted in exertion as I flipped over its head, changing my dagger out for a sword as I did. Swinging at its exposed back, I couldn't help the fierce grin that spread across my face as I prepared to feel my sword cutting through flesh. However, my smile faded when I felt my blade collide with its back…and bounce right off. I nearly lost my balance in the air, but managed to correct my aim so that I landed on the wall across from the one I'd just leapt from. As long as I maintained the upper ground, I would eventually find an opening.

Or so I'd thought. Now, I wasn't so sure. My confidence was shaken, now that I knew I couldn't pierce its skin with a normal blade. _Skin harder than rock…what can cut it?_

In the adrenaline rush I'd gotten after hitting the dead end, I'd been able to ignore the throbbing of my ankle. However, now that I was getting into my focused fighting mode, the pain was crashing back in again. I was willing to bet that from all the strain I'd put on it, it was almost a full break by now. _I can't fight like this…._ But I had no choice. It was kill or be killed down here.

This time, I took the initiative. With a fierce cry, I kicked off of the wall and flew toward the creature, my sword poised to strike again. There had to be some weakness in its skin. It was just a matter of finding it. However, once again, my sword glanced off of the monster's flesh, leaving not so much as a scratch. Growling my frustration, I landed on the wall. And promptly had to jump to avoid being shredded by eight-inch claws.

I rolled along the top of the wall, shooting to my feet again and preparing my sword to block another attack. Unfortunately, I discovered, my blade was no match for the beast's claws. They shredded right through the metal, headed straight for my heart. I cried out and jumped backwards, the tips of the claws raking against my abdomen instead.

In my haste to get away from the claws, I had forgotten to aim for another part of the wall. Now, I found myself falling down, all the way to the hard ground ten feet below. I barely managed to tuck into a roll before landing, my battered limbs protesting the rough treatment. With a pained gasp, I once again shot to my feet, shaking blood and sweat from my eyes. Four fiery lines cut across my stomach, nearly shredding the corset from my midsection.

I suddenly stumbled, my head pounding as I desperately tried to maintain my footing. The blood loss from first the beating and now the gashes was finally catching up to me, leaving me light-headed and shaking. _No, this can't be happening now…._ Desperate to keep a clear head, I shook my head a few times and blinked rapidly. _Focus, focus…._ Finally, I was able to see clearly again. What I saw, though, made me cringe in terror.

The beast had taken advantage of my situation to leap to the top of the wall, and was crouched above me, a crazed grin on its snout to match the gleam in its bloody eyes. Its claws dug into the wall as it prepared to leap down and finish me off.

Suddenly, another rumbling shook the cavern. I staggered and nearly lost my footing as the ground rumbled, dirt raining down from the ceiling of the cavern. Looking up into the yawning darkness above me, I could only come to one conclusion: the battle above ground had begun. And I was a hundred feet underground, staring into the face of my death.

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**Good? Bad? So-so? Let me know what you guys thought of this chapter in a review! :D What do you think will happen next? I wonder if Jellal will get here in time. After all, he has to get through the Ringmaster first... **

**Review, my darlings! Follow! Favorite! All that good stuff. :) Seriously, it makes my day. XD And I actually respond to reviews (usually on time), as long as it looks like you've put some thought into it (forgive me, but I usually don't respond to reviews that just say "update plz" or "good job" or stuff like that)! :D I've been reading a bunch of stories lately where people don't respond to reviews, and that bothers me because I always put a lot of thought and effort into my reviews. -.- So yeah, sorry about that little rant there. You guys can ignore me if you want, I'm sick. :3 **


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